Imperial Guard – Pilot Episode – 001 Darkening Sky
by Specter06
Summary: Join Raeth and his crew, Mantrins in service of their Empire, on their first mission. They have been selected and are equipped to respond quickly to handle the most unusual situations that might occur in a hostile galaxy. But can they also work together? Titan A.E. and Mantrins are copyright of 20th Century Fox.
1. Those You Leave Behind

**Imperial Guard – Pilot Episode – 001 Darkening Sky**

 **Prologue by Raeth, House of Meztar**

* * *

 _Space. What is it about this great black mysterious void that in essence surrounds us all, connects us all in many ways and continues to fascinate in ways no one could ever dream of? I am convinced that every people, curious enough to look up at the sky at nighttime, have asked themselves this single question at least once. What is out there?_

 _I know that because I remember asking my father the exact same question when I was still too young to fully comprehend the answer he gave me. Because after the great question come the answers and in many cultures the stories of those who once could not yet travel beyond the sky and walk among the stars by themselves. What are those seemingly unreachable lights that glitter between the darkness at night? Are they the guardians of the universe, using it as their playground while observing us from a great distance? Or are they the spirits of our ancestors, those who went before us, watching and protecting over those once loved? Or maybe they're just giant burning balls of incredibly heated gases much like the sun that's closer to you and brings you the warmth and light of day. It depends on what we believe, on what we can see and what we can dream of and none of it is wrong._

 _Why am I telling you all this, you might ask? Well, because I've been out there. I have walked among the stars and as of this moment I am on the verge of stepping out there again and fulfill not only my duty but a lifelong dream. With it comes great responsibility but fortunately I won't have to do it alone._

 _The galaxy isn't what you'd call a friendly place. Some situations however require what I describe as special treatment. My crew and I have been selected to handle these cases in the name of the Emperor. For we serve the most powerful military organization in the quadrant: The Imperial Guard._

* * *

 **Chapter 1 Those You Leave Behind**

 _So far my introduction. But before telling you about one of the first adventures of my crew and I, there are a few small things you should be aware of first. See that little blue and green marble out there? No it's not the place where you're born. That's my home. Sogowa Prime. It's kinda small right now, but don't worry because you're gonna see it from much closer in just a moment. Let me tell you a little about me. My name's Raeth. At least that's what my friends and relatives call me. I'm a member of the House of Meztar, which sorta serves as my last name, though it's formally my family name. All the modern members of my kind belong to a House. It's something that identifies them as being part of a great family, for a House carries all the honors, accomplishments but also the shame and failure of every single one of its members until it ceases to exist for some reason. I know it's complicated but that's just the way things are on the world where I come from._

 _About my people, well for starters, we don't really look like you. Unless you happen to call Sogowa Prime your home too. The things that define us are most definitely the legs. Double-kneed, incredibly strong and making up most of our bodies really. Furthermore I got a tail to keep me balanced while walking and my mouth sorta looks like the beak of a bird, but softer and more flexible so unlike most birds we still got teeth for chewing our food. My ears, well, let's say they're bigger than average but I consider that an advantage. Last but not least we got a relatively short temper and we never get out of the way of a good fight. Yeah, we prefer to use our fists and claws on occasion but not overly so. We like to be competitive and play rough from time to time. You got all that? You got a weird image of me and my kind right now, don't ya? Let it go. We might not be born on the same planet but still we're not that different despite our outer appearances. Maybe you're a parent too, like me. I've got two great kids. A lovely mate, or 'wife' as you call your partner and I love 'em just as much as you love yours._

 _Enough talk. We're getting close to my world and I very well remember the end of that afternoon. It's where I begin my story and at the very same time one of the biggest adventures of my life. I had just gotten my new command as captain or 'Ginjha' of one of the Guard's newest ships and I was about to spend one last evening together with my family._

Ta'keth. Capital of the Empire. The largest city on Sogowa Prime and literally the center of everything. Next to being the seat of government, led by the Emperor it was also the primal hub of galactic banking and commerce within the Empire. A number of important embassies were located here too, preserving and strengthening relations between the Empire's worlds and other planets. But other than all of that, it was the home of one Mantrin in particular. At the end of what had been a late spring afternoon, Raeth made his way home through the paved streets of a somewhat unremarkable district just outside the center. Striding along the right side of the road flanked by well-maintained front gardens filled with blossoming and fragrant plants and flowers, he noticed that most people on the street were children of all ages. While it was time for their parents to prepare and cook meals for the evening, they enjoyed the afternoon sun that had warmed the sandy brown pavement to a comfortable temperature under his large feet, playing games and filling the streets with laughter and the sound of joy. Taking firm steps, his claws scratched lightly but audibly as the three large toes of each foot spread to create balance and grip upon each contact. Various thoughts occupied his mind as he quickly covered the last bit of distance to his house which was in the street after the next turn right at the approaching junction. Those children reminded him of his own and the mothers that called from the front door openings of the houses to some of them, bringing to their attention that dinner was ready and waiting, reminded him of his own mate. How they were waiting for him to come home. How they were preparing to say goodbye after spending one last evening with them.

"Good day, sir." She was a middle-aged Mantrinesse, Sogowan race, characterized by her skin in two shades of brown, just like his own and the eyes, a vivid orange but with a twinkle of friendliness. Her greeting was accompanied by a gentle respectful nod. It was but a playful reminder that he wore the red uniform of the Guard, effectively marking him as a man of military status, to be automatically treated with respect. He answered her greeting with one of his own, unable to resist smiling as he was forced to halt abruptly before the opening in the low wooden fence separating her house's front garden from the street. Her children, a boy and a girl, he estimated their age around seven and four respectively, hurriedly crossed his path to answer their mother's call, making a slight jump to the left to avoid his massive leg. "Be careful!" their mother warned them, shaking her head, briefly touching the head of the oldest as a means of guiding him as she stepped aside to let them into the house. "I'm sorry, it's just-"

"It's fine."

Accepting and dismissing her apology with a slight gesture she nodded again before closing the door. By the time he heard the bump and click Raeth had already moved on to the point where he could see the front door of his own house, the second from the left across the street he now faced. After making sure the aerial vehicle flying overhead, one of the city's many quick air transports, which was signaling for a landing maneuver would not pick a spot right on top of him, he crossed the street. Tapping the communicator unit around his left wrist, the device woke up, ready to unlock the door of his house.

"Welcome home, _Ginjha_ sir."

He had recognized the playful tone and sound of his female neighbor's voice. An Orketh Mantrinesse, characterized by the striped patterns around the ankles, hips and base of her tail, visible because of the shorts she wore, she was much smaller than he was. The size difference was emphasized even more because Raeth was a good deal larger than average for his race, measuring his height in standing position at a staggering seven feet and six inches.

"Hi Jaeya," he answered, his powerful deep-toned voice gentle but in sharp contrast to her cheerful pitch.

Casually watering the plants and flowers in her front garden she stopped for a brief moment as if to get a better look at him, while he turned to face her and close some of the distance between them by doing a step forward. Her right ear twitched playfully as she smiled.

"You look so handsome." Unfazed by her remark, quite sure it was just a compliment and not some turn in a game she couldn't possibly hope to win, he was about to thank her until the unchanged expression on his face had a different consequence. "I'm sorry," she said, her ears developing a faint touch of red. "Don't tell Ashia I said that," she added hastily, a hint of panic in her voice.

Guessing she must've felt ashamed he watched as she continued to empty her watering can over her plants, deliberately avoiding any further eye contact. Suppressing a chuckle he stepped back toward the front door of his house. Jaeya wasn't bonded to a mate and she once told him that she never would be. It didn't stop her from flirting from time to time though, something she often apologized for.

"What makes you think she'd mind? I'm her mate after all." One more time she looked at him, a bashful look on her face, just for a second. Then her focus forcefully shifted back to her plants, making sure it couldn't return to him as she turned around to water a different row. Mildly shaking his head, the left corner of his beak pulled into a faint grin he couldn't suppress, Raeth turned toward the large and heavy wooden door of his own house. Its shape was almost square as was common on his world due to his species' unique physiology. Waving his wrist past the doorframe in an absent-minded gesture, he heard the soft click of the locking mechanism shortly thereafter, the door opening a couple of inches out of its own as a sign of invitation to enter. The first thing he noticed when he pushed the door to let himself in was the first whiff of that familiar and trusted smell. The natural aroma of his own house, a touch of wood, a hint of sweetness. What he always loved was how it was unique for every single house, like a strand of DNA was unique for every living creature. It was pleasantly cool in contrast to the warmth of outside, although summer hadn't officially announced itself yet and relatively quiet, with the sound of voices faintly audible so he decided to make everyone aware of his presence. " _Nyehari saa_."

There was no direct response but after closing the door and crossing the short hallway in two steps to enter the living area of his home he almost bumped into the oldest of the two youngest members of his family.

" _Kharii!_ "

Due to his height, Trynn only succeeded in hugging his belly and without being able to fully wrap her arms around his back. It was more than her younger brother was able to do. He usually went for one of his legs instead.

"Hey kiddo." Petting her head, his large hand folding her ears down, she purred under his touch. "What's up?"

"Nothing. Glad you're home _kharii_."

" _Kha-rii._ "

Fran's face was the perfect image of joy, a wide open laugh and copper-colored eyes sparkling. As his four-year old son prepared to grab his leg, Raeth lowered himself on his middle legs on the floor instead, moving Trynn to the right and grabbing Fran around his back on the left. Trynn wrapped her arms around his muscular neck and Fran basically crawled into his lap, burying his head in his belly.

"Hey, I haven't been gone that long." Rubbing his children's backs he purred lightly, savoring the moment, quickly and suddenly realizing why they were so affectionate. It was the same reason why he had trouble letting go of them himself. "Where's your _hahme?_ "

"In the kitchen. Cooking dinner."

Releasing him from her firm hug she looked into his eyes, tip of her beak a mere two inches away from his, eyes still glittering. She then gave him a lick on the right side of his beak, followed by a giggle afterwards. Raeth's suppressed laugh turned into a soft snort.

"Oh you like that huh? Let's see if you like this."

With a powerful growl he buried the tip of his beak into her chest, rubbing lightly multiple times. The effect was similar to tickle torture. Begging him to stop she was overcome with giggles and she couldn't easily get away from him either.

" _Kharii,_ please stop, my belly's hurting."

When he finally let go she stumbled backwards, letting herself drop to the floor on her back, panting lightly, still laughing and with her hand on her belly. Prying Fran who tried to climb up off his chest, he lifted him in his strong arms, giving him a tiny lick on his cheek with just the tip of his tongue. The boy chuckled, giving his cheek a quick stroke as his father put him back on his feet. Getting up himself, Raeth quickly regained his incredible height and mighty appearance, dwarfing both his children, although he had to admit they were both growing up fast.

"I'll go find your _hahme_. Just play for a little while longer until we eat, okay?"

Trynn who had caught her breath and picked herself up from the floor nodded, grabbing her little brother's arm.

"Okay. C'mon Franny."

Watching them return to their spot on the floor in the middle of their living room where they had been drawing together judging by the amount of paper and pencils scattered around, Raeth smiled. This room was easily the largest in the entire house and his children loved turning it into their playground. The center of the room was taken by a large low wooden table, rectangular in shape and normally surrounded by no less than eight large floor pillows. This arrangement was common in his people's homes with family taking up a very important place in their culture. It was the table where meals were shared, pressing family matters were discussed and guests were received. The importance of family was depicted even more by the large woven cloth, like a tapestry, covering a portion of the wall opposite to the small hallway leading up to the front door, almost from floor to ceiling with a very sophisticated and artistic form of their writing on it. It was called a _Cathaiyra_. The crest in the middle was the symbol of their House. The names of his children, mate and himself were written around it in large colorful symbols that partially overlapped with each other and the crest in the middle. The rest of the furniture was distributed around the living room table along the walls. Some cabinets with mildly fragrant plants and cultural artifacts put up for display, a large holo TV, currently set to a news channel, projecting parallel to the wall farthest from where he stood and three wooden lamps, beautifully cut by hand in a spiraling design to provide his family with some light during the darker hours. What Fran and Trynn had done is toss six of the large dark blue seating pillows together at the short end of the table closest to the kitchen entrance as their base of operations to turn things into a mess. They laid down on their bellies on top of them with drawing boards behind their paper to prevent tearing through it with their pencils. He had to admit, it was better than the hard sandy brown tiles of the floor.

Shaking his head, he took a left to the kitchen to find their mother and his mate. That didn't take long as their one-story house wasn't that big, at least not by their kind's standards but it was a fine house nonetheless and they were both glad they could get a loan and buy their own place in Ta'keth, especially Ashia because she wasn't looking forward to leaving the city in which she grew up and where most of her family lived too. He found her in front of the ceramic stove, a dish towel draped over her shoulder, stirring carefully and controlled in one of the pots. She was dressed in a comfortable loose pair of blue trousers and short-sleeved spring green shirt. Whatever she was cooking it smelled wonderful and made his stomach growl lightly. His approach was noticed as her ear flicked and they made eye contact via the mild reflection of her face in the kitchen window, offering a view of the street. Turning down the heat under her pots with a quick gesture over the stove's control panel she turned around, wiping her hands on the towel as she removed it from her shoulder and tossed it on the counter behind her afterwards. Her lovely smile was accompanied by eyes that seemed to be made of a warm bronze that still radiated what she felt for him since the moment they met. Compared to him, her height and overall size were less intimidating and more humble, befitting of her kind character just like the sound of her voice.

"Hey _Oni._ How was your day?"

Raeth couldn't resist answering her smile with one of his own.

"A little tiresome. Lots of preparation but everything went fine."

He slowly approached her as she did the same to him, his fairly long tail creating a rustling sound as the end of it swept over the hard wooden floor of the kitchen with calm fluid motions, until the tip of her beak nearly touched his as she looked up. Caressing the side of hers to his in a fond gesture she wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his chest, the tips of her long soft ears tickling his throat. Wrapping his strong arms protectively around her in a warm hug he purred lightly, taking a deep breath which he slowly expelled through his nostrils.

"I'm gonna miss you."

"I know. I'll miss you too but don't worry too much."

Of course Ashia knew that from the moment she decided to become his mate. He had been working on his career for most of his life and he had to, for various reasons and now that he had reached the rank of _Ginjha_ not so long ago it really started to pay off. Detaching herself from him she grabbed the front tips of his uniform's black collar, with the insignia badges indicating his status on each of them, between thumb and index finger.

"It looks really nice. Don't let them get the better of ya."

"I'll do my best. How's your back?"

His remark visibly affected her mood, judging by the way the expression on her face changed. He couldn't blame her. It seemed to come and go at random but Ashia's back problems often went hand in hand with periods of severe pain. So much that she could barely walk without cringing. It was at these times that he felt most sorry for her, because as a mother she had to take care of two children, herself and everything in the meantime while he risked his life to go on missions in deep space or wherever Command ordered him to go. But it was necessary to put food on the table and just as importantly, get her the medicine she needed to alleviate the pain and the eventual treatment that would get rid of the problem for good. Her ears sagged and after letting go of his collar she let her hands slide down slowly over his chest, eventually letting her left arm dangle and putting the hand of the other on her hip.

"Doing okay, I guess," she said, letting go of a mild sigh. "It's not hurting so much right now. I can manage." She forced a smile and Raeth nodded, trying not to look as serious as before, although he was definitely concerned about his mate. She seemed to be in pain more often lately and more severe too. "Can you help me get everything to the table?" she asked, changed the subject to break the silence that followed. "It's done."

"Sure."

But right at the moment when Ashia turned around to grab one of the pots with the towel she had tossed on the counter and Raeth followed to assist her, they were interrupted by their daughter.

" _Kharii! Hahme!_ Come quick! It's Fran again! He can't breathe!"

While Ashia gasped and was visibly shocked, Raeth reacted quickly and in a controlled way, walking out of the kitchen with a pair of fast strides to cross the small distance to the living room, careful not to run down his daughter who quickly jumped out of his way.

"Where's his inhaler?" he asked firmly, his eyes locked on the situation, purely acting instinctively for a moment. It was merely meant to verify what he already knew. Fran's inhaler was lying in its regular spot on top of the largest wooden cabinet in the living room and there was another one upstairs in his bedroom. Ashia's reply wasn't necessary because he had already grabbed it and dropped to his knees near his son. The boy sat on one of the pillows on his rear, taking quick shallow breaths which didn't do much good for it seemed he was barely getting any air. It was hard to watch a child his age struggle so much but it wasn't what Raeth was thinking of right now. "Easy now Fran." Kneeling on the floor, putting the mouth-piece carefully between the boy's teeth while squeezing his shoulder gently to let him know someone was there to help, he pressed the button on the side of the device with his thumb, releasing the medicine that would give him his breath back. "That's it." Watching it do its work as Fran's breathing slowly returned to normal he took the device out of his mouth, placing it down on the floor as he continued to hold him, right hand on his back, left hand on his lower chest. "C'mon Fran, breathe. Gently."

Now that his son was out of any danger, if there was any due to his quick response to Trynn's warning, he had to give her credit for that, Raeth could finally convince himself to let go, which he did, putting his hands on his first set of knees. His daughter had approached them in the meantime and he heard Ashia's slow steps behind him as he continued to monitor Fran. Wondering if his watery eyes were caused by him trying to hold back tears or just another symptom of his extreme shortness of breath, he looked at Trynn as she kneeled on the pillow next to her brother, putting her arm around his shoulder while licking his cheek, rubbing her head to his. Until he hugged her back, moaning softly. "It's all right Franny. _Kharii_ was here."

Smiling faintly at the exchange of love and care between his children, he looked up at his mate who was obviously shaken, as she often was while watching her son fight a precarious battle for his life. The look in her eyes was that of fear. Nothing serious but fear nonetheless. Not that he didn't have trouble with it. He was just better at hiding his fears and being strong for the rest of his family. Trying to swallow she let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding for a while.

"He's all right, Ashia." Scrambling back to his feet in a fluid motion, his limberness compensating surprisingly well for his size he put a hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently after making sure to put the inhaler back on its spot on the cabinet. "Don't lock up like that. You know he's counting on you."

"I-I'm sorry. I-"

"It's okay. I know you would've done exactly as me if I hadn't been there. You've done so many times before."

She looked down at his chest as he caressed her cheek with the back of his fingers. Then she nodded.

"He's safe." It was more as if her statement was meant to put her mind at ease, to convince herself that the danger had passed once more. "It's just that I'm afraid of what would happen if neither of us is there. If no one is there to help."

Raeth shook his head.

"Don't worry too much. Fran also has his wristband, just in case. His teachers at the learning center know what to do as well and have taken care of him more than once. Even his sister is keeping an eye on him whenever she can." He sighed, grinding his teeth for a moment. "This stress is what's worsening your backaches. Might even be a major cause."

"I know okay?!" Her own outburst surprised even herself, remorse adding a touch of red to her face. "I'm sorry."

Raeth sighed once more, touching his beak to hers as an acceptance of her apology.

"No, I'm sorry. Let's just eat and let it behind us. Nothing happened after all."

The smile he was longing for finally returned to her face, hesitant but there nonetheless. Asking Trynn and Fran, who had already gone back to whatever they were working on to clean up just a little, Ashia returned to the kitchen with Raeth on her tail. _I'm gonna miss her cooking._

* * *

Due to Sogowa Prime's twin moons, the nights on the world were seldom truly dark even with a clouded sky. But tonight with just a few lonely puffs of cloud, it was more than enough to see without aid in their pale shine. Enjoying the coolness of the late evening wherever it touched his bare skin, Raeth studied the cratered faces of Sheloh and Dimra that had withstood the ravages of time just as well as his people did, despite their long and intricate past. The only artificial light came from the windows behind him but it was barely keeping up with the particularly bright moons this night. Taking a deep calm breath through his nose, listening intently to the nocturnal sounds all around him that provoked subtle reflexive movements of his long elliptical ears his thoughts went out for a moment to beyond Sogowa's sky and into the vastness beyond the planet's atmosphere. It called out to him, like it always did. Like the first time it did when he was a mere teenager longing for adventure and a way out of a life he just couldn't adjust to. He always wanted more. He had heard that from his father more than enough times in his youth. The night was peaceful, at one moment only disturbed by the sound of quick little footsteps behind him. Lifting his fairly long muscular tail off the soft grass on which it had been resting, he tried to determine without looking where he had to put it next to prevent it from being stepped on. However his daughter already stood right before him at an arm's length distance from the center of his belly before he had been able to make up his mind. Wordlessly she looked at him, a tiny sparkle in the little pools of copper that were her eyes, ears twitching briefly. Then as if the mild smile appearing on his face was her cue she just threw herself against the hard muscle of his midriff, rubbing lightly. Placing both hands on the back of her head, feeling her soft skin and ears he let the base of her ears slip between his fingers, making gentle massaging movements upon which his daughter purred. As she turned her head upwards, placing her chin flat on his belly he slowly let her ears escape his soft grip. By the time he had reached the tips and released them he noticed how she couldn't keep the right one up as well as the other. Resisting the urge to call her 'flops' because he knew she hated it, he waited for her to move first.

"I'll miss you _kharii_."

He could've guessed she would say that. Of course his family was going to miss him. Naturally it was the same the other way around.

"I'll miss you too."

Trynn pouted a little.

"I… I don't want you to go. You're always gone for so long."

If only she realized how much harder she made it for him. For all of his life Raeth had been torn between family and career, between doing the thing he always dreamed of and spending time with those he held dear. Near impossible to combine so he had to make choices. With a brief sigh he lowered himself to a knee on the ground in front of his daughter, decreasing his height to a more equal level, signaling her to come just a little closer.

"Come here." Doing as he said, exchanging her pout for a frown, she flicked an ear, tail slowly whipping as she assumed a waiting position. "Trynn, you know why I have to go, right?"

Heaving a somewhat exaggerated sigh, visibly deflating as she blew out her breath, she nodded afterwards.

"I know." Of course he and Ashia had explained to her about Fran's health which was an even more immediate problem than Ashia's backaches, which could be cured at any time if they could just put enough aside for the treatment. Fran was a different story. That little boy was born with a rare condition that prevented his lungs from developing normally, meaning they were already too small for his age. The doctors already prognosed that they would never reach their full natural potential on their own. On top of that, he suffered from asthmatic attacks which in combination with his small lungs could be deadly without the medicine that had saved his life up till now. Despite all that, modern medical technology could make Fran's life easier. Carefully applied growth stimulation with a series of treatments in combination with gene therapy could potentially eradicate the problem forever so he would grow up to be strong and healthy like his father. The downside? The treatment was incredibly expensive and it had to be a single uninterrupted procedure so they couldn't help him in stages. He and Ashia had been saving up for it ever since they learned of Fran's condition, which was basically since his birth. They had come a long way already. His advancement in rank would finally give them that final boost that they could really use. Digging the claws of her right foot into the dirt underneath the grass, turning up small bits of it as she chewed on her bottom lip, she avoided his stare. He knew what she and the other members of his family were going through though. Pulling her close by wrapping his arm around her back, she hugged him tight. _"Nyemouri deh."_

Raeth purred.

" _Nyemouri deh nii_." Licking his cheek after releasing him, she chuckled. "Hey, take care of your _hahme_ and your little _khomii_ for me, will ya?"

She nodded.

"I will."


	2. Like a Second Family

**Imperial Guard – Pilot Episode – 001 Darkening Sky**

 **Chapter 2 Like a Second Family**

* * *

"You _know_ why you've been chosen for this assignment, Raeth." The shiny and cold but purely functional metallic walls of the docking arm which Raeth and his ranking companion traversed on their way to the beginning of the assignment currently under discussion, echoed the sound of their powerful bare-footed steps back at them. Due to the solid metal surface, interrupted at regular intervals by rectangular air vents and the occasional airlock doorframe, used for sealing off sections in case of emergencies that threatened the atmospheric integrity of the station, the sound was a combination of a thumb and the light scratching of sharp claws. Due to Raeth's considerable size, his step was similar in sound to his superior's, offset only due to the latter having slight difficulty moving his right leg due to a permanent injury which also cost him the outermost toe of his foot on the same side. Despite that, the Goureg _Nezvhan Raa_ , a rank which placed him above starship commanders and even most flag officers of the Guard was one of the most revered officers in the fleet, his scars considered mere tokens of his achievements, courage and cunning ability to come out on top in battle. On their way to their destination which was apparently at or close to the far end of the outer docking arms, Raeth had lost count of the many times he and _Nezvhan Raa_ Khyrzan had been respectfully greeted or saluted by passing officers and station personnel. He considered it a privilege to be more than just another subordinate as Khyrzan personally appointed him for the task at hand. "Because you're _good_ at what you do. You were given a chance to prove it and you did admirably."

They had almost reached the end of the docking arm. Through the large transparent windows on both sides of the broad tube, Raeth let his eyes glide over every magnificent piece of engineering. The individual docking bays were of different shapes and sizes and could even be adjusted to fit different types of vessels. Some were empty, others held ships that had either just arrived, were awaiting or undergoing repairs and regular maintenance or were ready to go. Khyrzan's last words stopped him dead in his tracks which was more of a coincidence too as their direct path was blocked by four crew members of one of the nearby ships, using a hover loader to move a set of three large containers to the station. Making some room as they waited for them to make the turn, his eyes briefly locked with Khyrzan's which were a bright shade of blue with a just hint of green. Unknowingly Raeth had already given off signals that he didn't agree, for they narrowed just briefly and barely visibly.

"With all due respect, sir, I just did what I could but pure dumb luck had a hand in it too."

Khyrzan snorted, turning around to make better use of the available room now that the cargo handlers had passed to face his subject directly. The expression that drew some clear lines in his hardened face was not one of anger, but of seriousness and above all else the firm belief that he was right on this one.

"Listen, Raeth. Don't tell me you haven't got what it takes. Anyone can think what they want, say what they want but you got that ship and the remaining eighty or so members of that crew home. Against the odds you faced and your commanding officer unable to hold your hand, you did a remarkably good job. Not just anyone could've pulled that off."

Without breaking eye contact, Raeth nodded. He knew who he was talking to and he wouldn't just say what he just said for no reason at all.

" _Hyami_ , sir."

Signaling with a slight pull of his head Khyrzan proceeded in the direction they were heading before being held up. Apparently a ship had just docked because its crewmembers began to spill into the docking arm, carrying their personal belongings and gear with them in large standard issue backpacks. Khyrzan's voice was powerful enough to drone out the racket though and everyone automatically seemed to make room for him as he approached.

"C'mon, she's waiting for you. In fact, if you look to the left, you can get a nice view of her." Following closely behind, until he had room to walk beside his companion, Raeth had no trouble spotting her because the two docking bays at her starboard side were empty. For a moment he couldn't contain his excitement, his double hearts beating faster, a slight chill working its way up his spine. None of this was visible on the outside though. They didn't come fresher than this. The dark gray hull had a very faint red glow in the light of the sun, untouched by even the tiniest piece of space debris. "A brand new _Myr'loa_ class. There are currently only four of these operating within the fleet," Khyrzan said, a thin layer of pride and admiration covering his voice. "She may not be as big as that _Laeisia_ class you managed to haul back, but she got the latest and greatest and she even likes to touch down on a planet surface now and then."

"I… I've briefly reviewed some of the test reports, sir. It's an impressive piece of engineering. What's she called?"

Khyrzan halted, shooting a quick glance over his shoulder, the corner of his beak pulled into a revealing grin.

" _That_ will be up to you. Just a thought of one of the top engineers working on the project. Just like the young tribal warriors, the _Myr'loas_ earn their names through their accomplishments and the final test to becoming _Myr'shala_ , these ships will earn their names in a similar fashion. For the moment she is registered as _Myr'loa_ class I05B Mark II."

"What happened to the mark I?"

Khyrzan sighed, resuming his walk on a casual pace, signaling Raeth to follow.

"Last question, last answer, _Ginjha_. We need to get you on your way on your first assignment. A fatal flaw was discovered in the cooling system of the Mark I prototype's forward fusion thrusters. Under certain conditions during a planetary landing, which puts considerable stress on the propulsion systems, the system proved insufficient. The engines overheated and the ship made a crash landing on the test site. Fortunately, everyone aboard made it out alive with only light to moderate injuries. The error was corrected in a new revision and the current iteration is performing admirably in all situations they've been put into so far. That includes battle and all but the harshest of planetary conditions. Now c'mon. I believe you haven't had the chance to meet that XO of yours yet."

They had almost reached the docking hatch which was near the end of the docking arm and Raeth had already spotted two members of his would-be crew he met before. His First Officer had already given him a headache though. Not only did they still have to make first contact, due to the rather late decision of assigning him under his command, he also had one hell of a record under his belt.

"I've read some of his reports, sir. Is he for real?"

The _Nezvhan Rhaa_ made an amused sound, a combination of a snort and a laugh.

"You bet your tail he is. He does have a knack for doing things his way. Unfortunately, as he is still a _Kaedar,_ it's the only thing standing in the way of getting his own command. Something tells me you're gonna have your hands full on him."

"Still trying to make up my mind between being impressed or worried."

"And he's not the only one you should keep an eye on now and then. But they've all got one thing in common. They're like you Raeth. Each and every one of them is one of the best in their field. You'll learn to appreciate 'em."

With Khyrzan's last words still vaguely echoing in his ears, Raeth crossed the last bit of distance, inadvertently making eye contact with easily the largest of the bunch taking position on their approach. Almost in unison each of them straightened their back to look tall, rigid and proud, crossing the right arm diagonally over their chest, a fist placed on the left side. A standard issue salute, copied shortly thereafter by their superior officers. Superiority clearly not defined by height or even overall size, Raeth thought, unfazed however by the somewhat menacing appearance of the charcoal gray Mantrin with the intense emerald stare that didn't break or budge until he ordered them to be at ease for now. All five of them dropped their arms, shifting their feet in a steady and more relaxed position. Keeping the upper hand in the situation Raeth introduced himself first with a subtle bow of his head, without losing eye contact.

"Raeth, House of Meztar. I believe we haven't had the chance to meet yet."

His greeting was met at first by a deep breath through the nose and a relaxed but powerful exhale the same way.

"Jirro, House of Kezani," was his heavy-weighted reply.

Raeth could've sworn that the other attendants had seen the spark too. It was the spark of two abrasive sides rubbing against each other until the cold hard core was stripped bare. Jirro was part Ryrjhii, his heritage betrayed by the unique hooked shape of his beak and incredible muscularity so at least he had that for an excuse to explain his roughness and service record. But something told Raeth instantly, despite his long experience with all sorts of his kind, that Khyrzan made no joke about preparing to have his hands full and get them dirty of necessary. _I sure hope this guy ain't more trouble than he's worth._ The other two faces present were more or less familiar. The in comparison much smaller Mantrinesse standing next to his XO, a young _I'sha_ by rank was one of his two pilots and as he had learned from her record, with remarkable skill for her age. She was a slightly pudgy-looking Orketh, characterized by her chestnut colored skin and what little was visible of her unique brown pattern of stripes around the sides of her lower waist.

"Freya," Raeth said slowly and questioningly as he recalled her name with some uncertainty in his voice.

The faint smile and nod she gave him as well as the twinkle in her golden brown eyes confirmed his correctness though.

"Yes sir. House of Ewani."

Standing in the middle, the last of the three more of less dwarfed her again. The slight grin on the face, scarred by a lot of experience in fistfights and shootouts of various size reflected her daring personality. Mostly prominent were the slash in the right side of her beak and neck and the missing portion of her right ear. Licking the front of her left canine the deep brown Sogowan Mantrinesse looked back at her superior with a head turned slightly as if judging what she was up against, even though they had met before. It was hard to forget that face though.

"Trezka, House of Ketrea."

"Sir!" she responded fiercely, straightening her back once more.

"As you were, _Ay'tahka_."

Next to that she was also his Chief of Security and tactical officer, a role that suited her perfectly. At that moment Khyrzan decided it was time for him to leave.

"Everything should be in order, Raeth. Your first mission is simple but could change at any time. Remember, that's why you've been put to together. You've been sent on a routine patrol and in the meantime you and your crew will evaluate the performance of the _Myr'loa_ class and note anything of significance into the log. Keep me posted and may Kirliya enlighten the paths of you and your crew."

" _Nas ohvi Kirliya deh unar._ " Bowing their heads slightly in unison, Raeth watched the _Nezvhan Rhaa_ leave with a powerful whip of his tail after which he was quickly absorbed in the crowdedness of the docking arm. The feeling that boiled up inside of him came from deep inside. It was the ignited flame of his warrior's spirit, filling him with the confidence and courage required to lead this new crew and ship on their first mission. But first he had to make them feel their place. "Status, Jirro. I assume we're loaded and ready to go?"

For a brief moment he noticed the ignition of the same flame in his first officer's eyes but the expression on the face of the Ryrjhii crossbreed remained the same, hard and with restrained emotion.

"Positive sir." He was the first to turn around toward the open airlock leading into the transparent tube connected to the ship's port docking hatch after which Freya and Trezka and finally Raeth soon followed his example. His mighty tail, covered in its entirety by the fabric of the tail pocket of his pants powerfully slammed on the metal of the floor with a dull thud as he started walking. "There is still time for you to inspect the stations before we leave," he grunted, his deep voice like thunder, strengthened even more by the echoes reflected against the wall of the tube.

"Main engineering first, _Kaedar_. You're with me. Freya, prepare the ship for departure."

"I'll have her ready in a few ticks, sir. As soon as I get the go-ahead from down below."

In comparison her voice was soft, gentle and far more refined as was expected from a Mantrinesse her age. Fresh from the Academy she lacked the experience of her superiors but this girl had just as much skill in certain areas as they had. And because she would take the first shift behind the helm she could show them all right away what she was worth.

"Trezka, get our gunners together on their favorite spot. I'll stop by the gunnery deck on my way to the bridge."

"Aye, _Ginjha_."

With Jirro setting the pace for the group they had crossed the distance to the interior of the ship quickly. Sealing both doors of the airlock after making it through they followed the First Officer to the ship's central corridor. Wide enough for two large members of their species to walk next to or pass each other it offered access to every part of the ship. With _Myr'loa_ class ships having only five decks and a small crew complement, open vertically moving platforms at convenient locations, acting as lifts for a maximum of two large members of their kind, granted passage between decks. Both Freya and Trezka took the one nearby, the first on her way to the bridge, the latter on her way to the gunnery deck as instructed. With the docking ports on deck 3 and main engineering on the same level, Raeth matched his pace with Jirro's, heading in the direction of the vessel's stern. The main corridor was well-lit. The shiny bulkheads didn't have a scratch on them. The whole atmosphere with its recycled air, which was fresh nonetheless, carried the scent of machinery that had only been activated yesterday. The walls were sectioned in smaller pieces, some of them with handles that allowed the removal of certain panels to offer access to conduits and integrated circuitry. Status displays were integrated at head height at varying intervals, displaying ship status as well as information on different subsystems they monitored at real time. Jirro remained silent, clearly not in the mood for small talk. In fact, Raeth sensed a certain hostility, a kind of refusal where there should've been acceptance. He was a _Ginjha_ and this person his _Kaedar_ , his First Officer who he should be able to depend on in any kind of situation. He decided to leave it for now and made a mental note to come back to it when necessary. The heavily armored airtight door of main engineering, that housed the ship's main and secondary reactors as well as offering access to all parts of the quantum drive systems, opened automatically for them by splitting into three parts.

For a ship the size of the _Myr'loa_ class, one of the Guard's smaller cruisers, the engine and reactor room was spacious. The singularity core was located in the middle of the rectangular space, reserved for everything that powered the ship. The singularity itself was visible as a miniature black sphere at the center of a bright glowing corona of energy, in turn surrounded by both a containment field and a transparent spherical housing that brought the intensity of the light down to both safe and comfortable levels as well as filter out anything harmful outside the visible spectrum. The center sphere was supported by a sturdy looking pylon construction that held it in place between the floor and the ceiling. It was connected to a partially transparent tube-like construction that seemed to suck the energy away from the core in three directions, up and down through smaller conduits and in considerably larger quantities through the larger one leading to and disappearing into the wall on the far end of the room. The two secondary reactors, similar in design, flanked the horizontal energy conduit in the back. There were four workstations, two on the left from where they were standing and two on the right, all facing forward into the room to allow the operators to visually keep an eye on things as well. These stations were designed similarly all around the ship. The seats were locked in place horizontally but they were mounted on sliding rails into the deck so their occupant would be able to move back and forth while seated. In addition, the console itself was mounted on an arm that could also move back and forth. This combination allowed each station to accommodate a Mantrin of almost any size with more than enough legroom. The control panel consisted of three trapezoid-shaped reflective black panels covered with touch-based controls, with the sides (or legs) placed against each other and the shorter one of the parallel sides (or bases) facing the user. Each of the longer sides had a projector that in turn produced a half-transparent blue virtual display. The seats were pretty large and comfortable and had a back that was attached to the seat only on the left side with an opening between the two parts large enough to fit any tail. Aside from these workstations, additional control panels were mounted directly on a ring around the main and secondary reactors. Access to other parts of the propulsion and power distribution systems was offered by a pair of crawlways in the back next to the secondary reactors and two more near the middle of the right and left walls. All things considered, the room was pretty symmetric in design with only a few visual dissimilarities between both halves, not accounting for the engineering team of course. As soon as they noticed their commanding officers they ceased all activity and with short pauses in between formed a small part of a circle and gave them a standard salute.

"At ease everyone," Raeth muttered calmly before addressing the middle Mantrin personally. He was a Talocaan by race, a much rarer sight among his kind although his race and his own, the Sogowan, did share a common ancestor. Therefore, despite the much darker brown color of his skin and slightly slimmer build there were many similarities. "Majih, I assume that containment field issue is history?"

His Chief Engineer grinned, placing his hands on his upper knees, his right ear twitching lightly.

"Yes sir. Turned out one of the field emitters had a faulty power coupling that rendered it unable to compensate for sudden random fluctuations. Replaced it and she's been purring ever since."

Raeth nodded approvingly.

"Now let's find out if she can roar too. I-" Flattening an ear instinctively as he moved his head to the side, Raeth's attention diverted immediately to the source of the sound which turned out to be a hovering metallic sphere, about half a meter in diameter, with one central blue glowing eye and a pair of spikey extensions on its sides. Judging from its approach angle it seemed to have taken off from a small docking platform attached to one of the support pylons of the main reactor core. The low frequency buzzing sound was strangely soothing to the ear, changing pitch as the device adjusted its position to join the circle of engineers as if it were a member of the team. After a short series of blips, it held position next to the right of the only female member of the group from Raeth's point of view and seemed to enter a standby mode. "I guess that's new."

"Allow me to explain, sir," the young Mantrinesse, her race a mixture between his own and the smaller Orketh race as far as he could tell, said. He couldn't be too sure about it though but he thought he spotted a glimpse of the characteristic striping and if that didn't give it away she did have the stormy gray eyes with a slight uneven discoloration in both of them and the more rounded muzzle tip of the smaller one of the two races. "The name's Jacky by the way. We haven't had the chance to talk yet."

Her name was as unusual as her appearance. He had read her profile though. _Raised by humans. No record of any living relatives. Must've been tough._ It was hard to forget those kind of details. Judging by her lowering right ear she seemed to expect a question about it. Probably happened to her more often and therefore Raeth refrained deliberately from asking.

"Please do so, _I'sha._ "

"Sir, consider this unit an extension of the ship's computer. It's got everything from its own suite of sensors to camera and holo-projection capabilities."

"It'll also allow us to stay in direct visual contact with you on the bridge while we work, _Ginjha_ ," Majih added. "As you've said it's a relatively new piece of equipment for now mostly confined to main engineering, but Jacky and Itan here have done some testing and I have no objections to the results. So with your permission?"

"For everything that happens in here, I trust on your good judgment, _Ay'tahka_. Let that be clear."

"Understood."

"Are we ready to go?"

Majih looked to his right.

"Itan, those calibrations?"

The hulking slate gray Goureg responded with a grunt. His voice was very deep and bassy but calm nonetheless, a sound that could not only be heard but felt lightly in the stomach as well.

"Finished. We can warp and jump on your discretion."

Raeth's response was a single clear nod.

"All right. Dismissed and standby."

The gunnery deck was located one level above together with crew quarters, the mess hall, which was also more of a recreational area which doubled as a briefing room and sickbay as the most important facilities. Sickbay was in the back, the gunnery deck was located closer to the center and crew quarters and the mess hall took up most of the space from the bow until about half the ship's length. The _Myr'loa_ class was one of the Guard's smaller cruisers with a length of about 240 meters, but with its design philosophy aimed at comfortably accommodating every member of their species, its sleek exterior housed a lot of cleverly arranged internal volume. With the thrust vectoring fusion engines, mounted in large heavily armored and shielded pods on the forward and aft flanks, available space was increased even more. Raeth and Jirro took the elevator platform to the left as they exited the engine room, a quick tap on the control panel bringing them up to deck 2. The elevator platforms were simple in their design and function, no doors, just a railing to hold on to during their quick up or down jumps and a small safety force field to prevent any body parts from getting between the platform and the dividing construction between decks. Quick and simple, perhaps that's why they functioned so flawlessly. As he stepped off the platform, Raeth found himself standing in a similar corridor as was present on the deck below. It was present on decks 2 till 4 running through the entire length of the ship. To his left where the sickbay doors, granting access to a small but state-of-the-art medical facility and adjacent storage rooms. To the right was their next destination.

The room from where the ship's manned turrets were controlled was little more than a rectangular widening of the main corridor, although both sides could be sealed off airtight. Access doors in the middle of the left and right walls offered access to the two main armories. The main feature of the gunnery deck of course were the four gunner stations. The seats were similar in design to all others, mounted on the same type of sliding rails, but the back was designed to enclose the occupant to a greater degree. A long arm, adjustable in angle and height, extended from the ceiling, the console itself mounted on the end of it. It consisted of a small reflective black panel with fewer controls than the workstations in main engineering but a much larger curved projected display. A pair of sturdy joysticks extended from underneath the control panel. These stations, positioned at an equal distance from each other, and with enough passing space in between, offered direct control of the double-barreled Gatling pulse cannons mounted on turrets on the ship's dorsal section. Standing between and around the seats were the members of the team that would man these stations in red alert situations and apparently Trezka found it necessary to gather her small security force at the same time as well. Nine Mantrins in a relatively small area but it was possible.

" _Ginjha and Kaedar on deck!_ " Trezka's voice bellowed, seven fists hitting the side of a chest shortly thereafter. As Raeth ordered everyone to return to their previous posture he quickly let his eyes slide over the two groups. They were an unusual bunch and that was putting it mildly. No two of them were even remotely the same, not just regarding race. Trezka's security team next to herself consisted of a rather huge and intimidating black Logri, Norgu, and a small rock-gray Fjetahna called Nami, her long black hair worn in a thick braid on her back. The faces of the gunners and especially their service records he would never be able to put out of his mind. Just the exterior betrayed that they were anything but normal. Thylun, a supposedly Sogowan albino with a bionic implant replacing his blind right eye. Weyan, a Sogowan Logri crossbreed with a skin looking like patchwork with all the black spots of various shapes and sizes. Then Masai, a Sogowan Mantrinesse bearing the scars of a severe drug addiction that almost claimed her life. And the group was led by Azdar, a very dark-skinned Sogowan that had his entire left foot up to the ankle replaced by a metal prostatic. The gunners were all enlisted officers, indicated by the collars of their uniforms having only a black edge, instead of being full black and the different sets of rank insignias worn on each half of the neck opening. However, this only marked them as specialists in their field and they were just as much a part of the crew as all the others. "All gunnery officers present as ordered, sir. I requested my security officers to be present of my own volition."

"Excellent, Trezka."

Raeth took a slight breath, making eye contact with each of the gunners before speaking.

"As enlisted officers, you have hereby chosen to join this crew, so from now on you are a part of it. And therefore, I automatically have your dedication, your sworn duty to protect this ship. But I know you won't let me down." He turned his attention to the Mantrin with the metal foot with the rank of Chief Gunnery Officer. " _Ginshe Oshnari Rasehn._ "

Azdar stepped forward, the metal of his left foot hitting the deck with a fairly loud metallic bang, resonating noticeably through the deck.

"Sir," he growled, eyes slightly narrowed.

His voice had an unfriendly tone to it, as if the mere presence of others irritated him. Raeth assumed for now that it was just the way he was, for he knew this guy carried a lot under his belt.

"Keep your team together and on alert. I might schedule a drill to give these guns a spin. See how they perform. This is your first and final warning."

"Understood, sir."

For a slight moment, Raeth caught himself staring into the golden brown eyes of his subordinate, who stared back into his audaciously, perhaps even a little too much. He had hoped to see a little more of his state of mind in them but couldn't quite figure out if he was ready to give his life for the ship or kill his _Ginjha_ right on the spot for being ordered around. Assuming neither, he dismissed all of them and proceeded through the ranks, followed by Trezka, with Jirro on his side.

"First shift on the bridge is mine. I'll take the other platform."

As Raeth and Jirro stepped on the adjacent platform, they watched Trezka disappear in the above direction and this was the moment Raeth had been waiting for. His hand hovered above the control panel for a brief moment, until he turned his attention directly to his taller _Kaedar_. Wondering about the delay, the emerald eyes were already looking down upon him and for a moment Raeth felt a stab of mild anger. He was fed up with the tightlipped attitude. Whatever his problem was, it was going to be resolved right now.

"Jirro, this is off the record so you can call me Raeth while we're having this conversation. You haven't spoken a word since we stepped aboard and frankly, it's starting to get to me. You are my _Kaedar_ and if you've got a problem with that, I'd like to hear about it, this instant."

The size of the platform didn't allow for much freedom of movement but the large Ryrjhii crossbreed did move his one foot a couple of inches backward, just like Raeth did for a more confronting stance. His grunt was accompanied by a burst of air out of his nostrils.

"Sir." He pronounced the word slowly. Obviously he hadn't expected this and the discomforting size of their surroundings didn't help much either. Raeth had him cornered and both of them knew it. "You are my _Ginjha_ so you can expect me to follow your orders. Small talk however is not something I enjoy participating in. So unless you order me to, I'd like our relationship to be confined to a professional level."

 _Well, at least I know what I'm up against. The tough guy who doesn't wanna talk. Fine._

"All right, _Kaedar_. You've got your wish granted. I've heard enough."

Turning to face the opening of the platform, Raeth hit the button to take them to the upper deck. Jirro also retook his previous position but Raeth noticed that he kept looking at him from the corner of his eye. _Whatever. Maybe he'll warm up after a while. He's still gonna be stuck with me and everyone else._

The top deck, mostly located at the front of the ship, was much smaller than all others, housing only the bridge, _Ginjha's_ ready room and _Ginjha's_ and _Kaedar_ 's quarters. The platform brought them up to the corridor behind the bridge section. When he stepped off the platform into the corridor, a much shorter imitation of the central connection running between fore and aft on the lower decks, his ready room was to the left in the far back of the deck, currently sealed by a partially transparent door. In between this door and the elevator platforms, opposite to each other were the doors of his and Jirro's quarters. For now, their destination was the bridge to the right. Currently there was nothing separating the bridge from the corridor but the entire command module could be shut off from the rest of the ship by an airlock door, the only evidence of it being the markings on the deck and the frame running around the bulkheads and ceiling. As he stepped on the bridge followed by Jirro, all officers present stood near their stations, a fist placed on their chest in a wordless and respectful salute. The back bulkheads were more or less flat, with a slight angle toward the outer edges. The whole front barrier however was entirely transparent, forming about half a circle where attached to the deck. The panoramic construction was divided in five equal surfaces by support beams that ran from the edge of the deck and connected to the ceiling that extended from the center back of the bridge until it met the dome at the height of the commanding officer's chair. The _Ginjha's_ seat was similar in design to all others but with larger armrests and integrated controls. It was flanked on both sides by the _Kaedar_ 's chair on the right from his current point of view and a spare seat reserved for important passengers when required on the bridge such as an ambassador. All three seats were placed on a slightly elevated center platform. To the left, further down to the front was the tactical station while on the opposite side the science officer had a seat. The center front was taken by the stations of the pilot and navigator. Between the front two stations and the heightened platform, the seal of the Imperial Guard was engraved into the deck. All stations and seats shared the same design principles as those in main engineering. Seats mounted on sliding rails into the deck and the consoles with the three black control panels and equipped with projected displays. The bridge's main viewer was a large rectangular projected surface, originating from two emitters in the support beams flanking the middle section of the panoramic viewport. Two smaller secondary screens, the right one currently displaying ship system status, the other their current location on a star map were projected from the two remaining support beams. The bridge was well and evenly lit yet the screens were clear to read due to their opacity. Through the large panoramic windows, Raeth could oversee the entire arm of the orbital spaceport with in the right corner the enormous mass of the station itself. For a brief moment his eyes glided over the faces of his officers. His own right hand turned into a fist and found its way to the left side of his chest, accompanied by a slight nod.

"I thank you all for your respect. Stations everyone. Let's give her a run."


	3. The Wind Changes

**Imperial Guard – Pilot Episode – 001 Darkening Sky**

 **Chapter 3 The Wind Changes**

* * *

Fascinated for a brief second by the almost mechanical precision with which his crew carried out his first official order as commander of the ship that was now theirs, Raeth moved to his seat in the center of the command deck. The bridge crew took a seat behind their stations in an orderly fashion, installing themselves comfortably on their seats by moving their tail in the spot between seat and backrest, then sliding themselves forward by gripping their feet on the deck and pulling their legs backward.

"Is she ready, Freya?"

"Aye, sir," the young Orketh girl replied, sliding forward on her seat in a fluid motion, pulling her console toward her and adjusting it to the right position and angle to work with. The moment her fingers started to dance over the panel, playing the virtual controls that blinked, moved and warped under her touch like an instrument, the ship seemed to feel it. A slight increase in the low frequency hum of the power distribution systems, a mild vibration through the deck under his feet as the powerful fusion engines initiated their final self-test and warmup cycle, a change in the values and blink frequency of the highlighted parts on the right secondary viewer, currently serving as system status display.

"Syrran, did docking C&C give us what we need?"

The large slate gray Goureg turned a few degrees on his seat to look over his enormous square shoulder, his long bulky legs stretched in a relaxed position, only the heels of his large feet touching the deck.

"Transmission coming in now, _Ginjha_. Permission to leave was requested."

"Put 'em through."

The seal of the Imperial Guard which the main viewer had been displaying up till then made place for the head of a Sogowan officer from C&C who greeted Raeth and his officers formally with a slight bow of his head before speaking. The control center was bustling with activity, filled with holographic displays and personnel operating them to keep the traffic around the enormous facility flowing smoothly.

"Permission to undock granted, _Myr'loa_ 05\. Go out and earn her that name, _Ginjha_."

Raeth smiled faintly, briefly looking at Jirro from the corner of his eye. The large _Ryrjhii_ crossbreed had his eyes locked in front of him but Raeth was pretty sure his _Kaedar_ was keeping an eye on his commanding officer too. One thing was for certain, they were going to have a difference of opinion soon enough and when that moment came, he would be in for quite a surprise.

"Don't expect her to return without one."

The officer flicked an ear, copying Raeth's faint smile and turning it into a mild grin.

"We won't let you. _Nas ohvi Kirliya deh unar._ Docking control out."

His face and the background of the busy control center were exchanged for an aft view of the ship instead, a black sea with an irregular pattern of tiny stars, like beacons in the night. These marked the locations of other solar systems, other worlds like theirs, only different, most of them never explored before. It was time to pay them a visit.

"Bridge to engineering."

Stretching his legs in front of him, popping a joint or two in the process, he only had to wait for a pair of ticks before the right secondary viewer displayed the head of his chief engineer. For a brief second Majih's head seemed to float but then he realized it was that hovering drone of theirs, stabilizing its position and adjusting for Majih's, as the Talocaan Mantrin took a seat behind one of the workstations. Sliding forward on his seat, adjusting the height and angle of the console to his physique, he replied as he tapped in a series of commands.

"Gimme just a tick, sir. I believe she's ready to roar like you wanted to find out, starting… now."

"Syrran."

The large Goureg's only response was a grunt. The tap on his console though got some machinery rolling. The soft hissing of an airlock being drained from breathable air below deck. The banging of heavy metal clamps that held the ship in position opening and leaving her to float. Then it was Freya's turn, notifying everyone as she fired the maneuvering thrusters for the first time. The sublight main engines were much too powerful for these precise movements.

"Backing us off."

Careful and controlled, not just taking the helm but feeling and gauging the ship's responses as well, she moved her backwards out of the holding area. The pilot's console, apart from the standard configuration was equipped with a U-shaped control yoke for more direct attitude control at sublight speeds. A mechanism allowed it to fold out of sight under the control panel but right now it was deployed and Freya's seemed ready to grab both ends of the stick. The ship's computer could still aid the pilot in manual maneuvers, compensating for any obstacle nearby that happened to escape the latter's attention and might cause a collision. However, although not recommended, it was also possible to turn computer guidance completely off for those extreme cases where cutting it close was the alternative to certain death.

With enough space between the immense docking arm, and free room to maneuver, Freya disengaged the thrusters and engaged the ship's fusion impulse drive, it's power being delivered through the four large vectoring cylindrical nacelles attached to pylons on the forward and aft flanks. Being able to rotate fully around the pylon's axis, in addition to a ninety-degree angle sideways, the engines could deliver thrust in just about any direction.

"Let's see what the both of you got, Freya."

"We won't disappoint you, sir." A confident martial arts student ready to show off her honed skills to her master during the exam, that's what her voice sounded like. There was a hint of obvious joy in it too which was common for pilots as they took the helm. They practically lived for it, a certain thrill similar to what warriors felt before entering a battlefield. From what he had read in her file, Freya could've been a fighter pilot yet she chose to exchange one control stick for another. She would've been perfectly capable of handling either of them as she was about to show. Lightly grabbing both ends of the stick which was very smooth to operate in its tilting and rotating to control pitch, roll and yaw, she tried to feel the _Myr'loa_ 's response as she accelerated toward the emptiness of space above the docking arm, slowly at first and faster as her confidence grew. The acceleration was gradual but quick and due to the inertial compensators, unnoticeable by the crew, except for those looking outside through the viewports. Freya followed a course plotted by the computer, under manual control, that took them past the shipyards of Sogowa III. The red brown face of the barren uninhabitable world where most of the shipbuilding and industry in the system was located disappeared in the left corner of the viewport. Having gained considerable speed, they were now heading toward open space in the direction of a set of coordinates received from command. "I've got a course laid in. Ready to jump out."

"Trezka, deflector shields?"

"They're up, sir. Structural integrity fields at full strength."

"Quantum drives ready," Majih confirmed from behind his station, his image from engineering still active on the secondary viewer.

With everything green across the board, Raeth gave the order. Having confirmation, Freya let go of the control yoke and engaged the ship's linear quantum drive. The decrease in power to the sublight fusion engines was clearly audible as they shut down for the jump to faster-than-light speeds. Freya's manual control stick automatically folded in and disappeared under the control panel and a large subset of lighted controls on her console faded out as they couldn't be used while the quantum drive was active. For a split second as he looked through the projection of the main viewer into the far reaches of space, Raeth began to notice, or at least he thought he did, how everything around him seemed to stretch out. Dots of light from control panels, the lights on the bridge and even the stars themselves became lines. His ears picked up the sound of a quantum drive spooling up, a highly complex system of different parts working together to prevent the ship from being ripped apart as it tore through one reality into another. And then, the stars outside seemed to turn into a stream, a tunnel of light through which the ship traveled. Had there been a certain tension in the air before, as if everyone present was collectively holding their breath at this critical moment, it was now dissipating with the audible exhale of certain members, particularly his science officer.

"Current speed holding steady at QV factor 12, _Ginjha_ ," Freya reported, visibly relaxing, putting her hands on her upper legs as she stretched them a little.

"That was just a little off, don't you think?" Majih said, running an analysis on their performance. "The transition should've been smooth. That haziness wasn't part of the deal but now that I've got some data to work with I can compensate so it won't happen again. I'll be keeping a close eye on the drive while we're underway. Contact me at any time, _Ginjha_. Engineering out."

The image of their chief engineer in main engineering disappeared and made place for a star map with their current course and progress. The ship currently maintained an average cruising speed, following a course that would take them to the outer edge of the Solbrecht system. Recent increased activity from pirates and smugglers required a more active patrol duty to be instigated to deal with the problem and Imperial starships together with vessels from other parties in the region took an active role in keeping the level of illegal activities under control.

"Jetreycka, put me on ship-wide."

His science officer was a fairly large medium brown Sogowan Mantrinesse with an unusual shade of caramel brown as the second color in her pattern. The inside of her ears though created a much bigger contrast with their tan brown color which was lighter than the other two. The behavior of her left ear somewhat reminded him of his own daughter's, although Trynn had the hanging ear problem with her right one. Jetreycka's right inner ear however had a darker spot in the center and the lobe was pierced, with three small interlocking wooden rings dangling from it, rattling softly as she flicked it in a response to his order, acknowledging it and with a few quick taps on her console carried it out. In turn, Raeth rose from the command chair, towering well above the seated crewmembers and subtly cleared his throat.

"All hands, this is your _Ginjha_. We are currently on course for the Solbrecht system border for a routine patrol. ETA is about one-and-a-half cycle. I'm also aware that we haven't had time for formal introductions yet but I'm sure we'll get to know each other while we carry out our duties. Our general orders are simple for now so mine will be no different. This is a new ship. In fact, she's so fresh she hasn't got a name yet. It's up to us to name her and keep an eye on her while she performs. Anything of significance I'd like to be noted in the ship's log. _Hyami_ and carry on."

For a brief moment, Raeth stared at the Imperial Guard seal, engraved into the deck between his feet, the tips of the claws at the end of his large toes close to touching the outer ring of the symbol of might, courage, loyalty and at the same time so much more. Curling his toes a little, the sharp claws lightly scratched the metal beneath them. A myriad of thoughts swarmed through his mind in that one brief moment. He had left his family behind and in exchange received a crew to take care of. It was his responsibility to carry out any mission handed down from command with success and get the crew home afterwards. They were now his family. Taking a calm but deep breath through his nose, he looked up straight and then directly at his _Kaedar_. Jirro had his emerald glare ready for him but Raeth averted it and took the first few steps to leave the bridge.

" _Kaedar_ , the bridge is yours for the moment. I'll be in my ready room."

* * *

The ship's mess hall was generously spacious, located in a forward section of the ship and fulfilled several roles. It wasn't just the place where everyone came to grab a meal between shifts, but also a recreational area with comfortable seating positions, a briefing room in time of need and there was also a small galley and storage space for a limited supply of fresh food. Of course if that supply ran out, standard issue rations could sustain them for an extended period of time. Every Imperial outpost, colony or station had tons of these in reserve, so restocking wouldn't be a problem.

Baika had exactly this on her mind when the automatic doors of the mess hall opened to let her through. The heads of those present briefly turned to see who entered the room but the conversations that had barely lowered in volume continued on their previous level like they hadn't noticed her. She was pretty sure it was nothing personal. Everyone was still getting to know each other and serving the same role aboard the ship had already caused certain groups to form. The mess hall was basically focused around three long rectangular tables, low to the floor and with enough space between the long ends to allow two crewmembers to pass each other just barely without bumping legs or hitting the heads of those seated. These long ends could seat four crewmembers each on large seating pillows, held securely in place by cutouts into the deck. Even with the entire crew in here, which would be a rare occasion as at least a third of the crew would be running a duty shift at any time, they still had room for guests, although she figured that would be a rare occasion as well. Standing in the door opening for a brief moment, she had the short end of the middle table about two meters in front of her and the entire front section was dominated by a narrow in height, but very wide viewport running across the entire front bow. With the ship traveling at quantum velocity, the mesmerizing display of traveling through a tunnel of light played with what little shadows there were in the fairly well-lit room, filters being responsible for keeping any disturbing flickering to a minimum. At the far end of the right table, the ship's gunners had formed a group. Baika knew very well that her kind featured an incredible diversity in its different races, crossbreeds and peculiar deviations but they were an unusual bunch by any standard. She hadn't talked to them yet and they didn't seem to take any particular interest in her or anyone else of the crew, except for themselves. In the middle of the first table, at the third positions from her point of view sat the two remaining members of the ship's security force, a Fjetanha Mantrinesse called Nami, as she knew and Norgu, a hulking black Logri. Apparently he had just told some sort of joke because Nami chuckled and shortly thereafter his thundering laugh followed. Then finally, on her left at the second positions sat a large Sogowan male and with his back toward her, a Goureg whose skin had a very unusual and very bluish color of gray. She wasn't sure if her people kept records regarding tail length of citizens but if they were, he'd belong to the top one percent, at least of his particular race. Just when she decided with a small sigh that she'd probably sit alone unless anyone asked her to join, the Sogowan male beckoned her closer at which the Goureg looked over his shoulder. The edges of their beaks curved slightly upwards and in response Baika's did too. First she had hoped that Jacky would be here, mainly because she would be sharing quarters with her and because they were the same race, at least partly in Jacky's case, but on this first flight, all engineers were required to be in main engineering. Now she was glad she would be getting to know some of the other members of the crew better.

"Hey, you can sit with us if you like."

The Sogowan gestured at the available spot to his right. Taken in by his kindness, the deep soothing tone of his calm voice being an aid on his part, she accepted the invitation, trying not to show too much excitement.

" _Hyami._ " Lowering herself on the corner pillow on his side of the table, she let her arms rest on her thighs as she sat back from the table. It was evident that they were both quite a bit taller than she was, mainly because their respective races on average featured a much larger mass and height than hers, but she didn't feel intimidated at all. In fact, she felt that they were both trying to make her feel at ease.

" _Ano hori deh?_ "

"I'm fine. I'm Baika."

" _Nyehari,_ Le'tan, House of Eshir. That's Houn."

The Goureg greeted her with a bit of a shy nod. He briefly showed his hand above the table but didn't say anything, just smiled from the corner of his mouth. What she noticed instantly though were his eyes, which were a bright royal blue, like jewels, a kind sparkle in both of them. It was as if the gene responsible for the color blue had taken over his entire body. She deliberately avoided staring though. It would be impolite and she didn't want to make him feel uneasy. Although she found it hard to estimate his age, he had to be very young. Perhaps even younger than herself, though with 26 solar cycles she was still considered a girl by everyone she met. She estimated Le'tan around 30 cycles, more due to the mature tone of his voice than by his appearance for he could easily pretend to be younger.

"Still settling in?"

"Actually, I'm just awaiting my turn for bridge duty. I'm a science officer and Jetreycka's my superior so she's running first shift. We don't have any science projects set up yet in the lab so I've got some time to waste. Pretty sure it'll change soon."

Le'tan chuckled, shifting his position on the pillow to turn slightly more toward her, using his long muscular arms to lift himself.

"Don't tell me you're bored already. Don't worry, same here. I'm first pilot but Freya couldn't contain her excitement. Houn is second navigator."

"Sorry for being curious but, where're you guys from? I'm from Solbrecht myself."

"I'm from Solbrecht," Houn said. It was the first time he said anything after she joined their conversation. She had already figured that he suffered from an inherent form of shyness but he was kind, she could hear it in his voice that still had a somewhat boyish tone to it. Leaning forward he crossed his arms over his chest and rested his elbows on the table in front of him. Had his ears, which were fairly large for his kind, been resting in a passive stance since she joined them, they perked up now that he had found a new way to take part. "My parents still live in _Uhna'hir_. It's a city on the northern half of Rihlos."

"I'm from the southern parts. _Ingaea_ province. My whole family lives there."

"Are you a member of the _Oghuni Teh Neywa_?" Le'tan asked, his right ear flattening somewhat, a hint of astonishment slipping into his voice.

He was right though and referring to the domed Orketh societies common to this region of southern Solbrecht in which many families shared the same larger roof and had their houses built under it. Very often the climate within the dome was at least partially regulated artificially to keep temperature and humidity at comfortable levels throughout the year. This unique way of living was the ultimate example of her particular race of Mantrin sticking to themselves and their own ways and she was proud to be part of the community. Baika nodded.

"I also carry the mark of mine, the _Ahwali_ " she said, briefly touching her left upper arm.

With her shoulders and arms fully covered by the red long-sleeved uniform shirt, they couldn't see it but on the spot she just touched, her chestnut brown skin was marked by an intricate tattoo. Her particular community was centered around a very tall, very ancient native tree, symbolizing the essence of life and the origin point of the group. It was therefore no surprise that all members bore a tattoo that came in different varieties, but always resembled the tree in fairly great detail.

"Impressive," Le'tan said sincerely. "Of course it also means that you speak fluent _Cadaii_."

Baika chuckled modestly. Le'tan correctly referred to the native dialect of her race, a fairly complex language spoken almost solely between members of her race, the Orketh, in both modern and traditional societies.

" _Una'be, Baika. So'owa iwame?_ "

Le'tan smiled.

"I think you just introduced yourself to me and asked me my name, am I right?"

She nodded and smiled back.

"That was an easy one. So? Your response?"

"Eh… _una'be, Le'tan._ "

His response was a bit hesitant but correct nonetheless.

"I might teach you a thing or two."

He laughed.

"Who knows. I guess I was mistaken to believe that your kind doesn't get out much."

"It's all right. I know what they say. It's true we don't get out much but, it's not like we're not allowed to or that we're being held captive by our way of life. It's just that most of us are happy the way we live. I think I just got ambitious."

"Same here," Houn said, dragging their attention back to him. "I wanted to be more than just a shop worker or work at the factory like my _kharii_. My parents always encouraged me to become more than that. I'm glad to be out here. I just hope I can get along with everyone."

"Well, you don't have to worry about that, son. 'Cause we're going to be working together."

Le'tan seemed very capable of taking away people's worries in the blink of an eye. Houn smiled and his intense blue eyes sparkled with gratefulness and a hint of relief for a moment. Baika had to admit, she more or less felt the same thing. This was far from her first assignment but apart from some brief introductions during the prep hours she wasn't acquainted with any of the crew, though she had the feeling that the same counted for all of them. This new _Myr'loa_ class was one of the Guard's latest designs and for the first few in the series, they only selected members from the top of the class to crew them or so she was told.

"What about you, Le'tan? Where're you from?"

Houn apologized shortly thereafter for his curiosity when his more experienced fellow crewmember didn't reply straight away. Baika noticed how the Sogowan's right ear lowered slightly and the expression on his face changed into a slight but detectable discomfort as he bit on the left side of his lower lip.

"It's all right, Houn," he said, forcefully removing the visible pain with a wry smile but succeeding only partly. Houn's question had struck a nerve, a rather painful one by the looks of it, although he could've expected it, the way they were sharing each other's origins. She almost felt sorry about starting the whole thing and ending up making him feel uneasy.

"Hey, if you don't wanna talk about it, we don't mind."

This time he smiled genuinely, looking into her eyes once more.

"No, no, it's fine, Baika. I've accepted who I am and where I come from a long time ago."

He took a breath before continuing, scratching behind the base of his lowered left ear.

"It's still just not that easy to talk about. I grew up on Solbrecht too but, where it seems that you were spending your lives in comfort and had family and people around you who encouraged you to grow into whatever you liked doing, my life was more or less the opposite of that. My community is one of those that values a strictly traditional way of life. No technology, no modern lifestyle, no outside influence. A _Wa'syr Uya_ , as they call them in _Saerinian_."

"I'm familiar with them," Houn said with a nod. "Several of those groups lived around the city where I grew up. People were strongly advised not to look them up because they could be violent, even to us."

"You're right, unfortunately. Even though we lived in relative peace with the neighboring settlements, they would meet with fierce resistance if they tried to expand into our territory. On top of that, we were strictly forbidden to leave, hesitant to let new members join and yes this happened now and then. My parents raised me according to our ways, punished me if I resisted. I… I had to leave. I just didn't belong there. Taught to hate. Taught to defy everything that might change our way of life. I'll most likely never see them again. I can't go back, even if I wanted too. Leaving means banishing oneself."

As he told them all this Baika kept quiet the whole time. She was certain he could read her feelings of compassion off her face, which must've been like an open book. Of course the _Ahwali_ had their own challenges to deal with, being almost completely independent from others outside their community, thereby being mostly dependent on the providence of the planet itself, as it should be according to their beliefs and those of many others. But compared to the cold and unforgiving environment in which Le'tan grew up, she felt like she grew up in a veritable utopia. The way he looked at her with those large pools of warm copper only increased her empathy for him.

"They'd kill me."

The certainty with which he spoke as well as the change in his tone of voice shocked her. _Could they truly be this cruel?_ She had never heard of a parent killing his or her own child. At least not within the safe walls of her ancestral home. But then again, the moment she decided to take one step outside, she had learned that the world and the galaxy outside were much crueler than she could've imagined.

"I can't… I can't believe they'd do that."

It was more that she wanted to believe that than that she wanted to question Le'tan's words. After all he knew his parents and the people amongst which he grew up much better than she did. Maybe he wanted to believe it as much as she did judging by the way he smiled, still wry but with a sparkle of hope glittering in his eyes.

"Maybe. Just maybe things've changed. It's been a long while since I left. I just hope-"

"You think I like it here?!"

Their sharing of origins was roughly disturbed by sudden commotion on the other side of the mess hall where Baika had seen the ship's gun crew share a table when she entered. The source of it seemed to be the large dark-skinned Sogowan of the bunch. Not only was he now the one of the four standing on his feet, the aggravated, downright aggressive tone he decided to put up drew all attention in the room onto him. Towering above the rest, leaning over slightly while audibly blowing air out of his nostrils, he seemed to have moved into attack stance, his tail moving with short powerful flicks.

"You think I signed up for this because I had a choice?"

The only female member of the bunch, a Sogowan Mantrinesse who looked much older than she actually was tried to salvage the situation by talking to him on a calm tone but the only thing she seemed to succeed in was keeping him from exploding completely. Or maybe that was the only thing she considered worth aiming for.

"Nobody said anything like that, Azdar. We understand what you've been-"

"You don't understand _anything_!"

For a couple of seconds, he pointed a clawed finger in the general direction of the other gunners, his hand shaking with barely restrained anger. Then, without further verbal communication he stamped out of the mess hall, the metal of his prosthetic left foot banging heavily on the deck plating. Everyone watched in silence until his footsteps had retreated far enough into the corridor leading to the back of the ship. The female gunner, Masai, who sat next to him on the side of the table closest to the bulkhead and who had tried to calm him down at the last moment was the first to say something.

"Don't blame him for becoming what he is now. It's not his fault. Very few of us know what it's like to endure what he's been through."

Blaming the angry Sogowan for his outburst was actually the last thing on Baika's mind. She had heard it in his voice, under all the anger which he merely used to cover up something that went far deeper and caused a lot of pain.

"Doesn't he have someone to help him deal with it and move on?" Nami, the rock-gray Fjetanha asked.

Masai sighed, her ears that couldn't seem to reach an upright position lowering even more.

"Believe me, I've been trying. He's just so darn stubborn. Doesn't want to accept help from anyone. So far I'm the only one he's talked to about it. I'm not gonna tell anything. I made him a promise."

"So… did you guys know each other before this assignment?" Baika asked, beginning to feel that it was pointless to try and dive any further into Azdar's past.

"Azdar and I shared a ship before we got transferred. I just met Thylun and Weyan a couple of days ago."

"Thy' and I went through some combat training sessions together," the latter said with a warm tenor voice, having rotated on his seating pillow to face the rest of the attendants in the room. "Might even have been part of the same unit if they hadn't changed plans at the last moment."

Both he and Thylun had an unusual exterior to show off, with his skin being a kind of patchwork of mostly dark colors and almost black spots and Thylun having a very rare and extensive form of albinism. The red uniform of the Guard seemed to enhance its own color and the whiteness of his skin even more, creating the illusion of a glowing epidermis.

"Maybe it's not a coincidence after all that they decided to put us together again," Thylun said. "We made quite a team."

"All right you grunts, welcome aboard," Nami said light-heartedly. "Everything to your liking so far?"

They both grunted in unison.

"I just hope the rations are better than standard issue Marine Corps," Thylun said, his voice coated with a thin layer of sarcasm.

"I thought we had some fresh food in stock," Weyan interjected, throwing a look in the direction of the galley. "Hey is there a cook among you guys? You know, I know how to prepare some roast. My _kharii_ and I used to go on hunting trips together and stuff. But I'm not that great at anything else."

"Sure I can cook," Baika said, some enthusiasm slipping into her voice.

"Really? That'd be great."

"Yeah, if you hand me some fresh ingredients I'm sure I can cook something up. Used to do it all the time back home."

It was one of the basic things that all members of her community had to learn as part of their way of growing up. Not just the _Ahwali_ but all members part of the _Oghuni Teh Neywa_ as a whole shared a couple of basic rules, contribution to and acting on behalf of the greater good being one of the most important ones. Her knowledge of preparing food went further than just cooking though. The gathering and to a lesser degree hunting for it was equally important. On top of that and maybe most important of all was learning all about which plants, fruits, nuts and seeds were edible and which ones looked or smelled similar but were actually harmful when consumed. Of course aboard the ship, those last things were taken care of. However, Baika joyfully looked forward to share some of her knowledge.

"I hope at least some of your guys are up for it, 'cause I'm not planning to give up my career and be your cook for the whole of our journey."

For a ship in which quarters and rooms in general were restricted in size due to the overall compactness of the vessel itself, Raeth could consider his ready room fairly spacious. The large sturdy wooden desk behind which he was currently seated was one of the low variety, located centrally in the room, with a large comfortable seating pillow for himself and two more for visitors placed on the other side of the desk. The space underneath the desk was big enough for him to fold his enormous triple-jointed legs fully underneath. The viewport behind his back basically mirrored the design of the panoramic construction on the bridge, smaller of course but serving as the entire back wall of the room. The room itself was sparsely decorated. Large red banners, made from a thick but fine-woven cloth with in black the seal of the guard on them hung on both sides of the semi-transparent sliding doors which had the seal imprinted in them as well, at eye level of the average member of his species.

A small open display cabinet held some of Raeth's personal possessions. One of such things was a small collection of sculptures of warriors from the ancient past, commonly called _Uhmir Ehrath_ , fairly common as a whole, but each one unique and handmade, with many hours of artistic skill going into each piece. Other examples were the honor tokens he had earned while serving the Guard and a number of unusual artifacts of the worlds he visited during missions of exploration, negotiation and on rarer occasions, combat support. Scattered across the room were a few Sogowa-native plants that required little care, spreading a very faint mélange of mostly sweet odors that instantly reminded of home for anyone who entered. Having spent some time in the room already, Raeth didn't notice this anymore as his mind had already sent every trace of the natural aroma to the background. In fact, he absent-mindedly stared at the information displayed on the holographic projected screen in front of him, his fingers lightly tapping on the virtual keyboard projected on the desk's surface to scroll through it, beginning to wonder the reason of why he did this. It was not as if the dossiers of the members of his crew could tell him anymore about who they were. The only way to get to know them better was talk to them, work with them, solve problems with them and if the situation demanded it, fight with them. Folding his hands over each other in front of him on the desk, he took a deep breath and slowly let the air out of his lungs through his mouth. _Enough of this pondering. I've got better things to do._ With a few quick taps he dismissed the personnel files and decided to have a look at the first set of status reports, the first and largest one from main engineering of course. Since it was marked with normal priority, he assumed everything was under control down on the lower decks and as he quickly scanned through it, his feelings about Majih's competence were just about right. He was about to close the report for a more thorough review later when there was a sudden pitch change in the strangely soothing sound of the quantum drive and a mild vibration of the deck. Although the feeling was absorbed by his seating pillow, it did go through his folded legs that were in direct contact with the carpeted floor.

"Computer, did we just change course?"

The computer's voice was female, had a youthful tone to it and its response was almost instant and felt as natural as an artificial intelligence as advanced and complex as the unit installed aboard this new ship type could be.

"Affirmative."

"By who's orders?"

"The order was issued by _Kaedar_ Jirro."

 _Jirro. What's he doing changing course without my approval and without so much as notifying me?_

"What's our new heading?"

"That information is classified."

"Raeth to-"

"Bridge to _Ginjha_."

 _You better have a good explanation for this._

He'd almost gotten up to get to the bridge himself, pushing himself up on his strong arms, legs half uncrossed. Suppressing a mild stab of anger, being meticulous not to let it slip into his voice, knowing in the back of his head that his _Kaedar_ wouldn't issue an order to change course for no reason at all, he crossed his legs under the desk again and let him know he was listening.

"Care to elaborate, Jirro?"

"Sir, we are responding to new orders from higher up. An incoming priority transmission is waiting for you on a secured channel."

" _Hyami, Kaedar._ Patch it through to my ready room." His XO acknowledged with a light grunt. The projected screen in front of him briefly displayed the Imperial Guard seal, then turned slightly more opaque. He hadn't expected to see the _Nezvhan Rhaa_ again this soon. Khyrzan's face had twisted in a serious glare and his bright blue-greenish eyes seemed to carry a flame as if he prepared to take matters into his own hands. The position of his right hand however seemed to have been taken by the person right in front of him. "Sir, my _Kaedar_ informed me about the change of heading. What are we in for?"

The _Nezvhan Rhaa_ exhaled heavily through his nose, his right ear giving a light twitch.

"I'm diverting you from your previous course toward the Solbrecht system border to the Bynali system, to investigate the sudden disappearance of one of our ships, the _Hanii Nyra_ , a heavy cruiser, Laeisia class. You'll find any relevant details about her in the database."

"Understood, sir," Raeth said after a short pause, realizing the situation was more serious than originally thought.

Laeisia class starships were usually well-armed, well-equipped and were therefore capable of handling most situations on their own. Pirates and raiders usually avoided them unless they were extremely sure of themselves, often making use of the environment to stage a good ambush to try and gain the upper hand. Nothing was impossible out in deep space and nobody in his right mind would rule out the countless destructive phenomena any ship, no matter how strong its armament, shields or hull, could fall prey to.

"Remember Raeth, this is exactly what you and your crew were put together for. A fast response team, standing by at all times to react quickly to anything that might happen in a sector nearby. I know I can trust you with this."

" _Hyami_ , sir."

"Keep me posted," Khyrzan said with a quick nod, ending the transmission without waiting for a response.

Raeth didn't have to think twice about what to do next. Now that he had been briefed by the _Nezvhan Rhaa_ himself, the computer had released the lockout from all information related to their new destination. He would be needed on the bridge soon enough. With the ship's speed increased to maximum and their changed heading it would take them less than a cycle to reach Bynali. It was a system not far from the Empire's borders and at least two of its planets had proven suitable for colonization with little projected terraforming effort, although it would still take some time before any permanent settlements could be created. Other powers had shown great interest in the system as well and a political debate between them and the Empire was still going on. Until a decision was made regarding ownership of settlement locations, access to the system was restricted. However, this was of no concern if the lives of an entire crew were at stake.

" _Can't let politics get in the way of saving lives,"_ Raeth thought, letting his eyes slide briefly over the latest situation report regarding the negotiations.

Shortly thereafter he repeated his earlier maneuver to get up, completing it this time, the holographic viewer locking access automatically as he rose to his enormous feet.

 _Time to get serious._

* * *

They were less than a tenth cycle away from the coordinates and the whole ship had moved up one alert level as they didn't know what to expect. On the bridge everyone was at their post and Raeth had ordered everyone to keep an eye out for anything unusual as they covered the last bit of distance to the edge of the Bynali system. Flexing his muscles to get some of the tension he felt out of his body, took a breath and forced himself to focus. Short reaction times could be critical in the next moment. He knew everyone else felt it too to some degree, although they all seemed equally good at hiding it.

"Sir, I'm picking up something on sensors. Coming in from behind."

Jetreycka instantly had his attention. As they approached the system they had reduced their speed somewhat, apparently allowing someone or something to catch up.

"Identify."

He noticed some heads briefly snapped in her direction as well but everyone regained their focus quickly. It was needed right in front of them, on their consoles. The little wooden rings in Jetreycka's right ear rattled softly as she flicked it, concentration drawing some hard lines on her face as she worked the console.

"We got a ship. Trezka, you better take it from here."

"Got it."

The other Sogowan Mantrinesse with the face scarred from combat licked her right fang with the tip of her tongue. With a few quick taps she had a result and judging by the look on her face, Raeth could tell they were in for a real treat.

"Akrennian warship, battlecruiser type. Coming up fast. She's charging weapons!"


	4. Double Encounter

**Imperial Guard – Pilot Episode – 001 Darkening Sky**

 **Chapter 4 Double Encounter**

* * *

The words 'Akrennian' and 'warship' vaguely rang in Raeth's ears, with time stretching into infinity as a swirl of thought took control of his mind, pushing it out of focus for what in reality were only a few ticks. Very few things in the universe were as unstable as the relationship between the Akrennians and everyone else but especially his own kind. Like oil and water, unable to mix, even when rocked violently while being confined within the same boundaries. Neither side was to blame for this and yet both sides were at the same time. On countless occasions, they had demonstrated the uncanny ability to separate as utterly and completely as the two substances did after a short period of recess. Unable to lay the foundations of a stronger alliance the current agreements had taken the form of a non-aggression pact, although that was the term only used in official documents. However, any _Ginjha_ or everyone who went out this far knew that things were less formal. The outcome of meetings such as these mostly depended on the mood of both commanders. Intentions were never clear until hard words were exchanged, not even if actual shots were fired beforehand. He had a gut feeling that this was going to be another one of those _tough negotiations_.

"Alert status! Raise shields and keep weapons on standby."

Snapping back to reality he vowed to deal with this quickly and efficiently as the lives of the _Hanii Nyra_ 's crew were at stake. Cruisers of her class typically carried a crew of around 200 individuals but even if that number had counted two zeros less his approach wouldn't have been different.

"Bridge to gun crew. Stations! Azdar, you better be on your way."

One deck down, the angry dark-skinned Sogowan answered his wristcom, quickly tossing a look over his shoulder to check if every member of his four-headed team was still following his lead.

"Getting warmed up, sir! Masai, directly on the right. Thylun and Weyan, back left and right!"

Without paying attention to their confirmation he took the remaining station directly on the left next to Masai. Each of the gun stations corresponded directly with the position of a rotating turret on the ship's dorsal section, offering very quick and direct control over these. With the station already on standby the weapon was instantly ready to fire. Grabbing the control sticks the master gunner's fast instincts and reflexes were leveled up a couple of notches as he adjusted to the level of response. This was what he and his team were good at. This was why they were a part of this new crew.

"Permission to fire when target's in range, sir."

"Negative! Remain on standby."

Fighting a slight reluctance to confirm the order he still did, his hesitation barely noticeable but still there and enough for his commanding officer to realize the temperament of his chief gunnery officer was going to give him trouble sooner or later. A direct link between bridge and gunnery deck was established, a camera and projected display linking the latter space to the left secondary viewer on the former.

"Sir, we're about to overshoot our destination."

His navigator's warning was justified yet it didn't truly matter right now. There were too many unknown variables yet the time to decide was now.

"Jetreycka?"

"They haven't answered any of our hails so far. Not even the one stating non-hostile intentions."

"All right. Freya, increase speed to maximum and standby to drop back to sublight speed."

"Sir?"

Her questionable response was understandable, given their current predicament yet if his line of thinking was correct it would be their best option. Getting ahead of their adversary would allow them to enter a better position should this encounter indeed turn out hostile. Chances of that were increasing with every passing tick.

"Do it."

Complying with the order her actions were felt and heard immediately as the quantum drive kicked into its highest gear, rapidly increasing the distance between them and their pursuer. Tipping his head slightly to the right when he noticed his _Kaedar_ 's eyes were trying to find his, he was surprised to find them accompanied by an upwardly curved corner of his hooked beak. The odd sensation that struck Raeth upon seeing this unexpected expression disappeared when he remembered the details of Jirro's profile. The words that came out of his _Kaedar_ 's mouth and the way they expressed a certain desire to do battle confirmed it.

"I know what you're up to."

"Then you better hold on tight. Freya, on my mark. Steady."

That last word was stretched out as tension rose to a critical moment. Multiple pairs of ears, including his own lowered in response. He felt his toes lightly scratching the deck as they tried to find grip on the metal surface, bracing instinctively for the moment.

"Now! Take us back to normal space! Prepare to meet them head-on."

Whatever Majih had promised to do to make transitions between normal space and quantum space smoother he had done, although this was in reverse. Still, cutting back from those unimaginable speeds to a virtual standstill didn't go unnoticed, with a mild shockwave that briefly rocked them in their seats. If this same event had taken place inside the atmosphere of a planet, the resulting blast would've ripped the crust over a considerable distance. Fortunately, Syrran was right and they had missed their destination by a safe margin.

"Engineering to bridge. Sir, with all due respect, don't do that again! Cutting power like that will fry the coils. I've got relays here ready to burst."

"Sorry Majih, but with what we're dealing up here, I might not even get the chance to do it again. You just keep the power to those shields and weapons flowing."

His chief engineer swallowed his reply, merely confirming the order. In the meantime their adversary had caught up with them and let them know instantly that they weren't playing.

"Visual contact!"

Raeth took an energizing breath as he focused on the image of the approaching vessel on screen, glad that the decision he made based on his earlier assumption was correct. Akrennian vessels used to be bulky, purely functional and sometimes unreliable pieces of hardware, barely able to match any of the work of the Imperial shipyards. More recently however their ship designers had really stepped up their game, churning out designs that were faster, more agile and much more powerful than the old ones. Consequently, they were now dealing with something that was their equal in more ways than one.

"Incoming missiles!" Trezka barked. "Point defense active and tracking."

Next to the standard weapon systems, the manned pulse cannons and two sets of torpedo launchers in the bow and stern, _Myr'loa_ class ships were equipped with a laser point defense system composed of a series of small emitters on strategic positions on the hull to cover as wide an arc as possible to intercept incoming projectiles. These defensive weapons had a relatively short range and weren't powerful enough to inflict any real damage to enemy craft that managed to get past the primary armaments but they were very effective in what they were designed to do.

"Freya, time for you to show once more what you're made of."

"Yes sir, going on the evasive."

Grabbing both handles of the control yoke in front of her, the four powerful fusion engines roared to life. With their adversary right in front of them and the sudden burst of speed she made the ship roll with a subtle yank to the left. Meeting head-on as instructed the Akrennian ship reacted quickly with a sideways evading maneuver of its own, the limited distance between both vessels shrinking further. The missiles, although blazingly fast were narrowly intercepted by the point defense system, going off near the port bow with a pair of explosions that sent a short blast of intense yellow heat over the command deck. The physical effects were minimal yet tangible but no damage was done as Trezka confirmed. Down on the gunnery deck Azdar had run out of patience.

" _Ginjha_ ," he grunted through clenched teeth, frustration coating his voice.

"Cleared! Return fire!"

At the same the Akrennian warship opened fire with her own powerful but slower firing particle cannons, the signature dorsally mounted pulse cannons of the _Myr'loa_ offered an appropriate response. Advanced cooling systems allowed them to sustain an impressive rate of continuous fire and with Freya keeping the ship at the right angle the barrage looked like the fiery white-blue breath of an angry dragon. The pilots of both ships now tried their best to escape each other's fire while keeping their own guns trained on the target. It was a deadly game that demanded the utmost of pilots and gunners.

" _Gehk_!" Trezka cursed. "Shields won't hold forever against this."

"Syrran, anything nearby we can use to our advantage?" Raeth asked, bracing once more as the ship rocked violently under another series of shield impacts.

"That's a negative sir," the large Goureg grunted in response. "We overshot our actual destination considerably. The nearest objects are too far away at sublight speeds."

"Okay got it. Majih, prepare for a small quantum jump."

There was a hint of panic in his voice when his chief engineer replied. The ability to perform a small calculated jump allowing the ship to instantaneously cross a small distance by hopping in- and out of quantum space was inherent of this method of propulsion, yet came with its own set of consequences. Not only would it temporarily drain the main reactor of all power, the singularity needed time to regenerate afterwards before resuming normal operation.

"Sir, I-"

"Majih, you're the _Ginshe_ down there so I'm sure you'll figure it out."

Before they could exchange more words a powerful blast sent a small shower of sparks raining down from the ceiling. Screens flickered for a brief moment and a thin layer of smoke clouded their vision before being sucked away by the atmospheric recycling system.

"That's it! Shields are gone and… they've stopped firing?"

The disbelief in the expression on Trezka's hard face leaked into her voice as she checked the readings.

"Hold fire! Azdar!"

The ill-tempered gunner was the last one to let go of the trigger and did so with a shout of anger. Trying to place himself in his situation Raeth had to admit it did feel like they had lost the match, or didn't they?

"Freya, full stop. What's our status?"

"We've taken some minor damage but so did they," Trezka said, licking a fang. " _Gehk_ , should've used torpedoes. That would've taken 'em down."

"Then, why didn't you?" Jirro said, the weight of his voice making it sound more like an accusation then a question.

There was something about the way he said it that made it feel like there was an underlying threat. The Mantrinesse that was the target of the question however felt it too and it triggered a response. But before the poisonous glare could be accompanied by equally poisonous words Raeth intervened.

"This is not the time for a debate! And Trezka, watch your tongue."

"Yes, sir," she said without breaking eye contact with her _Kaedar_ until Jetreycka suddenly grasped the attention of everyone.

" _Ginjha_ , they're finally ready to talk. They're actually hailing us."

"Well it's about time," Raeth said, letting go of an exasperated sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. Placing his hands firmly on the armrests of his seat he pushed himself upwards, stepping forward just enough to have the engraved seal of the Guard between his large three-toed feet and room to put his tail to rest on the deck after freeing it with a swift sweeping motion from the designated space under the backrest. He snorted, forcing himself to let go of the irritation that tensed his muscles like electricity. He didn't need his anger right now. When he felt the presence of his _Kaedar_ next to him he oddly felt a sense of relief as they stood side-to-side, a similar effect as putting a hand on one's shoulder in some cultures although this gesture was not shared by his. Naturally he hoped that this was the first sign of Jirro willing to accept his command and work together instead of simply following orders like any other subordinate. Turning his head just enough for him to notice, the large Ryrjhii crossbreed merely nodded once, emphasized by a light rumble in the throat. "Let's hear what this was all about."

Signaling Jetreycka to answer their hail he focused on the main viewer, currently locked and zoomed in on the aggressive but sleek exterior of the Akrennian ship, it too barely showing any scarring from their confrontation. Apparently, they had been pretty evenly matched. It also meant that their bridge wasn't in a state of disarray either. In fact, their captain proudly faced him too and _she_ was not what he expected. She was tall, the primary color of her skin a shade of brown not unlike his own but darker, apart from the lighter accents of which the locations were similar to those of his own kind, with the brighter forearms and hands being the exceptions. Her lighter muzzle created a sharp contrast with the dark characteristic bony-looking ridges on top of her snout. Finally, the sharp horn between her nostrils was another feature that his species lacked. Too small to serve as an actual weapon in close combat, hers was fairly long, matching stance with the large upstanding ears that made her look even taller. Her body was well-trained, it was noticeable even from a distance, reducing her species' natural lankiness while keeping her feminine features elegantly intact. Raeth however was unfazed by her appearance, although it would undoubtedly be interpreted by members of her kind as inescapable beauty. He had more of an eye for the uniform she and the rest of her crew wore. The top part of the outfit was made of supple black leather and had short sleeves, with the insignia to discern rank worn on the left. The khaki trousers, bottom tucked in large sturdy boots completed the bottom part. It were these simple facts that told Raeth they were most likely dealing with the main branch of the Akrennian Militia which was a good thing.

Akrennian society was clan-based with the larger and more powerful families being in control of the most important aspects of their civilization such as science and technology, the government and justice systems and of course the military. However, it also meant that their society was literally divided, with the main branch of their fleet answering primarily to the central government on Akrennia. Other worlds with a large Akrennian presence like P'lochda had their own space force and this was the exact reason why it was so hard to deal with their kind as a whole. Agreements on trade, mining, join efforts, anything stayed within the sphere of influence of a single body, a single clan or group of clans and meant nothing to those outside of it. Only in times of great need and when it concerned their interests would the clans unite. It was so different from his own culture he had a hard time coping with it, even though he and many other _Ginjhas_ dealt with it on a regular basis as both empires were practically neighbors.

"You!"

Her voice was powerful yet unmistakably female, in tone similar to the larger members of his own kind. Her eyes, vivid orange and with a fiery spark flashed as the word crossed her lips. Despite her species' focus on the individual, he was pretty sure she didn't mean him as a person but his kind as a whole. It had to be, as he was certain they had never met before. In his thoughts he congratulated her for her convincingly intimidating appearance in the middle of the darker somewhat ominously lit bridge of her warship.

"I could've known we would run into you sooner or later."

Crossing his tree trunk-sized arms over his chest, Raeth snorted derisively. She seemed ready to accuse him openly. Irritation drew lines into his forehead as his eyes narrowed to slits, a physical reaction to his restrained anger. His breathing became shallow and nasal, the frequency with which he replaced the air in his lungs increasing.

"What're you doing here? This is a restricted system."

"Which means we have as much right to be here as you do."

Despite the anger he felt, his response was calm yet throaty. She however flicked an ear, copying his facial expression from the lowered ears to the narrowed eyes. By every means she seemed just as obstinate as he was.

" _We_ are here to investigate the disappearance of one of our ships. Curious that you're the first we run into without taking so much as one step inside the system border."

"Then I guess we have similar reasons for being here. Interesting way to start an investigation. But that's the usual way of greeting each other out here, am I right?"

He could've blamed the incident solely on her yet unfortunately as he knew, fights were started just as often by their side as the other. Every _Ginjha_ had a breaking point although it depended on too many outside factors to determine exactly when that point was reached. The lack of a direct accusation however allowed them to continue the conversation on a civilized level.

"You mean?"

Raeth nodded.

"Perhaps a joint effort will turn up something useful."

She laughed scornfully yet seemed ready to accept his suggestion, until one of her officers captured her attention. At the same time Jetreycka picked up whatever it was on sensors as well.

"Sir, I've picked up another contact heading towards us."

Raeth grinned.

"One of yours?"

The Akrennian woman looked back at him but shook her head and seemed annoyed.

"Terran vessel, Earth Alliance. Leave it up to the humans to stick their noses into everyone's business."

Putting everything he knew about Akrennians aside for a moment, Raeth racked his brains to dig up what he knew about humans, or Terrans as some species called them. Most of the things he knew were from his youth, which he spent on Solbrecht, where his own kind lived together with them and several other ethnic minorities. Rather feeble creatures they were with some unusual physical traits. The bodies of both males and females were covered with fine hairs yet they were too thin to serve any real purpose. Most of it was concentrated on top of their heads in both sexes, worn in different styles, equal to the way Mantrinesses of the rare Fjetanha race wore their hair, although human males almost always wore their hair short. For females it was different, sometimes long, sometimes short but he didn't know exactly where the difference came from. They also generally seemed to lack physical strength, except in some individuals. They had no claws and no sharp teeth to show off. Physically they were unimpressive, yet they had some redeeming qualities in other areas. Rational thinking seemed to be their strong part and they were quick to form alliances and discuss the terms of agreements if there were mutual benefits. In fact, the Empire dealt with them on a regular basis. Human technology was generally solid, reliable and their incredible curiosity fueled their thirst for knowledge meaning they were strong in the science department as well. But perhaps most important in a galaxy as treacherous as the one they shared, humans were generally trustworthy, at least more so than average, a commendable trait. If they were also here for the same reasons, perhaps they could shed some light on the current situation and share their knowledge.

"They just dropped out of warp, sir."

"On secondary viewer and magnify."

For a peaceful species, human starships always seemed to come well-prepared and this one was no exception. Considerably larger than both the Akrennian warship and the _Myr'loa_ , the massive superstructure in the middle was flanked on both sides by large extensions which gave the ship the look of a double-decked naval aircraft carrier. However, instead of a flat deck for carrying fighter craft, both tops bristled with weaponry in the form of large beam cannons and missile launchers. Raeth wasn't worried by the looks of this nonetheless impressive facade as humans only made use of those when provoked.

"The humans are hailing both us and the Akrennians, sir."

"Put 'em on side-by-side."

The human captain was a tall middle-aged man, or so he assumed, yet his length appeared somewhat diminished by the spacious multi-layered bridge of his ship. His skin had a dark olive color and his head was bald apart from the short dark hair in a circular shape around his mouth which as he knew was called a beard. The duty uniform of the Earth Alliance was a formal piece of attire in navy blue with golden accents. A single-breasted jacket, the buttons arranged in a diagonal curve over the right side of the chest, with shoulder straps, tall collar with rank insignias and matching pants. Raeth also knew that during formal meetings, human officers would also often wear a hat and if decorated for their accomplishments wear ribbons, badges and medals on the left side of the chest. Even though these were currently absent he felt that he was dealing with a man who had collected his fair share of them. He smiled but in a restrained manner, a gesture not really copied by his soon-to-be discussion partners.

"Greetings. Let me introduce myself. Theodore Benjamin, Earth Colonial Alliance starship _Devonshire_."

The man had a pleasant tone of voice, slightly lower in pitch than Raeth expected from a human. It seemed as if he felt the need to cool things a bit. _"Not even a strange approach,"_ Raeth thought, uncrossing his arms. He let them fall beside his body but his hands quickly found their way to the middle of his upper legs where he rested them as he revolved the last bit of tension out of his shoulders. The only thing the humans had detected on sensors was two starships exchanging fire shortly after arriving. The thought that the humans knew more about what was going on had already crept into his mind and solidified there like molten metal in a mold. There was a short pause but the Akrennian captain glared at him with a look on her face that told him she would only open her mouth after he did.

"Raeth, House of Meztar, Imperial warship _Myr'loa_ oh-five _._ "

Now all the eyes were still directed at her, yet her reply was swift and with it carried a sense of pride.

"Ayko, Tr'shka Clan, commanding the battlecruiser _Tsun'rhaa_."

Captain Benjamin smiled again in the same manner as before yet the look on his face turned more serious directly thereafter. Raeth had the feeling he had a busy agenda and this incident didn't fit into it but he felt obligated to intervene.

"Glad we still have the pleasure to meet. I don't know what this was about and honestly, it's not really my concern but I urge you to consider resolving it later. I'm fairly sure you're both here for the exact same reason as all the others and we'd better step on it if we still want to make a difference."

"Others?" Ayko blurted out, ignoring the human captain's urge to make haste. "What others? I thought this system was restricted."

The human heaved a small sigh.

"You might not've been informed by your higherups yet but the current restriction is under reconsideration and has been temporarily lifted. In light of recent events we're trying to arrange an emergency meeting with all parties involved. Physical presence would make things a lot easier so I would like you both to be that presence, representing your government."

"All will be explained when we get to Bynali Four," he added, in an attempt to erase the final hesitation. "You're hereby both invited aboard my ship."

"All right, I accept," Raeth said. "I'll be sure to inform my superiors."

Ayko confirmed as well, signaling a subordinate with a quick gesture. She then pointed a slender index finger directly at him, a rather insolent gesture or so Raeth thought. And so did Jirro, expressing his feelings of offence with a loud snort and a tail that hit the deck with an audible bang.

"We'll continue this later."

"I suggest you follow us. _Devonshire_ out."

Both transmissions ended shortly after each other. The main viewer went back to displaying the exterior of Ayko's ship, the _Tsun'rhaa_ , while the _Devonshire_ on the secondary viewer began a turning maneuver to warp back to the Bynali system. Ordering Freya to follow the human ship he was about to leave for his ready room when Jirro failed to contain his anger. Stamping his enormous right foot loudly on the deck, shaking the bridge, the charcoal gray Mantrin with the hooked beak brought his thunderous voice to bear.

"Who does she think she is?" he bellowed. "We should've finished them off when we had the chance!"

Saliva started to froth at the corners of his mouth as he raged, some of it being launched in the general direction of forward. For a moment, he had everyone's attention. The Akrennian captain had driven Raeth close to the boiling point as well but Jirro's current explosive display of violence, in his opinion, did not fit the outcome.

"Which would've accomplished what?" Raeth said with a raised voice, turning 90 degrees on his spot. He had to look up to look his furious _Kaedar_ in the eyes, yet he did, with his arms crossed, ears lowering. Jirro's smaller ears had already lowered to an aggressive stance, the emerald glare more intense than ever before as his eyes shimmered with barely restrained rage. "War with the Akrennians?"

"They fired first!"

"It doesn't matter in the end! We're on a mission to save lives! And apparently so are they. Now in a about a cycle, I need my _Kaedar_ to behave in a dignified manner, befitting of his status, because we'll be meeting with them."

"Sir. I-"

"No! Calm yourself. And wipe your mouth." Finally aware of the trickle of saliva that had dribbled down from the left corner of his beak and had made a small wet patch on his chest, he angrily wiped at his chin with a quick stroke of the back of his right hand. "Now I'll be in my ready room to inform _Nezvhan Rhaa_ Khyrzan of our current situation. And I want no further incidents, of any kind. Is that clear?"

He awaited everyone's responses and as expected Jirro was the last.

"Yes, sir."

* * *

Crawlspaces aboard starships were never really made to properly fit the members of the species that designed them and Majih had to find out for himself just how small they were aboard the Guard's latest ship class much earlier than expected. Being a six-foot-tall Talocaan Mantrin he wasn't that tall and hulking but lying on his side, with his legs folded against his body, there was little room for his long tail and even less room to maneuver and get the job done. That job was currently composed of replacing power couplings that had either been damaged or completely fried during the short bout mere moments ago. The damage wasn't serious and they had enough spare units to fight at least ten more of these battles but he had hoped to postpone crawling into the smallest spaces aboard the ship for just a little longer. "First they almost fry the coils. Then someone decides to start shooting at us for no reason," he muttered under his breath, grinding his teeth in agitation as he pulled the next coupling out of its socket. Some of them popped out easier than others and sometimes he had to use considerable force, which was harder than it looked when working under less favorable angles. Putting in the new unit, flipping a switch to reenable the flow of power he checked the efficiency readings on his holo-pad, a satisfied smile briefly crossing his lips when they reached 96 percent overall.

" _All done_ ," he thought, giving the two burned couplings a good shove in the direction of the crawlway's exit as he rolled over in an attempt to get on his knees. With the holo-pad in his right hand he used his left to keep balance as he moved toward the end of the square tube that led back to engineering, not expecting Jacky, his colleague with the human name to appear at this end. Her voice, though not exceptionally loud, bounced between the metallic walls of the tube and being strengthened by its own echo startled Majih, who found out just how little clearance he had, which he barely noticed because the narrow tips of his ears already made contact with the ceiling. "Aaarghh!"

Groaning, as his head met the roof in a not so subtle way, the bang echoing after the sound of Jacky's voice, he stopped to rub the stinging top of his head with his unoccupied hand. Looking up, a low agonizing growl in his throat, he noticing he had hit the tubing, as the walls of the maintenance crawlway were far from smooth. In fact, they were lined over their entire length with protected circuitry, tubes, distribution nodes and other extensions. Jacky's startled apology followed shortly thereafter.

" _Uiisa_ , sir. Are you all right?"

As he was still listening with half an ear, his reply came out more agitated than intended.

"No!" Realizing how that sounded, his mouth one step further ahead of his mind, he forced his voice back to a normal volume. "I mean, yes. I mean… It's fine. You startled me for a moment, that's all." Crossing the last part to the end of the tube, keeping his head low on purpose, the last part of climbing out was a bit tricky because the opening was raised about a meter from deck-level. Stretching one leg forward, he twisted and turned himself out, made slightly easier as Jacky had already taken care of the broken couplings. Her facial expression tightened into a frown, ears in a lowered position, the Sogowan Orketh girl looked a little uneasy, her tail moving with quick nervous sweeps. "It's fine. Don't get your tail in a twist," Majih said, waving away her worries with a dismissive hand gesture. Now that they talked face-to-face she seemed to relax visibly, her tense shoulders dropping a bit, ears perking up a bit more and her tail dropped to a relaxed state. "Port side all done?"

She nodded.

"Yes sir. Couplings replaced and calibrations all done. Itan's running a final diagnostic."

She tipped her head toward the hulking Goureg, completing their team as the largest member, currently occupying a seat behind one of the portside consoles, eyes focused on his work.

"Good work," Majih praised, smiling in a satisfied manner. "It's small in there but at least the problems are easy to track down. This ship's a better patient than robot harvesters, I can tell ya that."

Jacky flicked an ear.

"Your parents are?-"

"Farmers, yes. I used to help my _kharii_ out a lot with the heavy machinery. Take good care of them and they'll take good care of you he always said."

"That's a nice saying. Kinda reminds me of something similar my _kharii_ always said. Although, that was my parents' cargo ship and the ship took care of us, as a crew, and as a family."

"So what did he say?"

For a moment, she bit her bottom lip.

"It's a little hard to translate. I grew up among humans and my parents were humans too. But it kinda means something like, treat her well and she'll keep us safe and together."

Majih laughed.

"I think that applies to us as well, as for any ship and its crew for that matter." When he noticed her ears lowering and the uneasy look on her face he didn't have to ask what it was about as his head still hurt. Feeling the sore spot between his ears he noticed his skin was a bit sticky and wet. Looking at his middle and index finger afterwards he noticed the glittering of serous fluid on the much lighter skin that covered the inside of his hands. The quasi-amused grin that played on his lips as he looked at her didn't help. "It's bruising, isn't it?"

His dark brown skin began to show some faint discoloration around the superficial wound.

"Yeah," she said slowly. "A little."

He shook his head and turned the fake grin into a real smile as he waved her unspoken apology away once more.

"Never mind. C'mon, let's see how Itan's doing."

* * *

Plopping down on the seating pillow behind the wooden desk in his ready room, Raeth let go of a frustrated sigh. With his elbows resting on top of the desk he buried his elongated face in his hands and rubbed his temples, feeling how his considerable weight pressed the air out of the pillow's sturdy filling. Trying to let go of any anger he felt against his _Kaedar_ and the frustration he felt because of the increasingly complex situation they were in he couldn't help but wonder if this was how it was going to be. His species in general did suffer from inherent short-temperedness and controlling one's anger was challenging for many individuals. He even noticed that in his own daughter. Trynn had a sweet character but now and then she threw her tantrums and when she did the neighbors would definitely hear about it. Never had she yelled at her younger brother Fran though. It was always reserved for her parents or whatever she was mad at. She and her brother shared a very special bond and she had always been protective of him. But it was impossible to compare Jirro with his children, or with any child for that matter. Letting his hands slide off his cheeks and muzzle, letting them fall flat on the desk's surface he felt the urge to fetch Jirro's file on the holographic terminal in front of him but he didn't. The contents of that file were still embedded freshly in his memory. It wouldn't tell him anything he didn't already know. Jirro was an angry person. It wouldn't be wrong to assume that anger had been a part of his life for as long as he could remember. No one to guide him. No one to teach him how to control that anger and turn all that pent-up energy into something useful. Joining the Imperial Army was how he figured it out for himself and maybe it was his best option up till now.

"Computer, contact _Nezvhan Rhaa_ Khyrzan."

"Connecting. Please standby."

The projected screen in front of him began to display a set of indicators regarding the status of his request as an overlay on top of the Imperial Guard seal. What was brought down to a simple face-to-face conversation was actually a complex set of different technologies working together to keep latencies of subspace communication at real-time levels. On top of that, connections were usually established very fast and stability over long distances continued to improve, all thanks to a network maintained and shared by some of the major powers of the quadrant. This call was no exception.

"Connection ready."

"On screen."

Khyrzan sat on a seating pillow behind a desk of his own. It was as if his face had frozen, perfectly conserving the same state from the last time they had contact. A look of seriousness enhanced by eyes in a color between blue and green. The voice, heavy-weighted as common for his hulking race matched the expression, straight to the point.

"Raeth, making any progress?"

"I believe we are about to, sir," Raeth said with his most honest tone of voice. "Allow me to explain."

With a nod of approval from his superior he began to explain the current situation in an objective manner, leaving his own emotions and those of his crew out of the picture. He began with the feigned attack by the Akrennians the moment they entered the system and ended with the invitation of captain Benjamin and his acceptance, followed by an indication of their current course toward Bynali Four. Khyrzan listened intently and without interrupting until he was finished, dropping a pause first before responding.

"So you think the humans know more about the cause of the disappearances?" he asked, lowering an ear.

Raeth nodded.

"The humans are here for the same reasons as we are and they have already begun investigating the issue. Therefore they are making appeals to lift the access restrictions to Bynali so we can resolve the situation and find out what happened to the missing ships and their crews."

Khyrzan's response was a grunt of approval.

"All right, Raeth. You have permission to proceed at your own discretion. It sounds to me that working together with the humans is your best option. Your hereby represent the Empire's interests. Be our voice and make it sound powerful."

"You can count on us, sir."

" _Nas ohvi Kirliya deh unar._ Oh, and Raeth? You handled those Akrennians well the first time. Keep 'em in check and find out if they know more than they've been willing to let go so far."

"Understood, sir."

"Khyrzan out."

Raeth didn't need to time to think about what to do next. It was one of those situations in which he kind of already knew what to expect what the answers to his questions would be. That only the formality of informing one's superiors was required to get confirmation that he handled the situation the right way. The moment he got up his wristcom chimed and vibrated. It was Jirro.

" _Ginjha_ , we're approaching Bynali Four."

"I'm on my way."


End file.
